Evidence-Based Quality Improvement: A recipe for improving medication safety and handover of care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smeulers, M.

2016-01-01

In healthcare we strive to provide the highest possible quality of care. Even though healthcare professionals work together with the intention to provide safe care, medical errors still threaten patient safety. Patient safety has received considerable attention since the beginning of this century,

32 CFR 564.37 - Medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Medical care. 564.37 Section 564.37 National... REGULATIONS Medical Attendance and Burial § 564.37 Medical care. (a) General. The definitions of medical care; policies outlining the manner, conditions, procedures, and eligibility for care; and the sources from which...

Evidence based medical imaging (EBMI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Tony

2008-01-01

Background: The evidence based paradigm was first described about a decade ago. Previous authors have described a framework for the application of evidence based medicine which can be readily adapted to medical imaging practice. Purpose: This paper promotes the application of the evidence based framework in both the justification of the choice of examination type and the optimisation of the imaging technique used. Methods: The framework includes five integrated steps: framing a concise clinical question; searching for evidence to answer that question; critically appraising the evidence; applying the evidence in clinical practice; and, evaluating the use of revised practices. Results: This paper illustrates the use of the evidence based framework in medical imaging (that is, evidence based medical imaging) using the examples of two clinically relevant case studies. In doing so, a range of information technology and other resources available to medical imaging practitioners are identified with the intention of encouraging the application of the evidence based paradigm in radiography and radiology. Conclusion: There is a perceived need for radiographers and radiologists to make greater use of valid research evidence from the literature to inform their clinical practice and thus provide better quality services

[Involvement of medical representatives in team medical care].

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Hirotsu, Misaki; Sohma, Michiro; Takagi, Hidehiko

2009-04-01

In recent years, chemotherapies have been further advanced because of successive launch of new drugs, introduction of molecular targeting, etc., and the concept of so-called Team Medical Care ,the idea of sharing interdisciplinary expertise for collaborative treatment, has steadily penetrated in the Japanese medical society. Dr. Naoto Ueno is a medical oncologist at US MD Anderson Cancer Center, the birthplace of the Team Medical Care. He has advocated the concept of ABC of Team Oncology by positioning pharmaceutical companies as Team C. Under such team practice, we believe that medical representatives of a pharmaceutical company should also play a role as a member of the Team Medical Care by providing appropriate drug use information to healthcare professionals, supporting post-marketing surveillance of treated patients, facilitating drug information sharing among healthcare professionals at medical institutions, etc.

Relationship between National Institutes of Health research awards to US medical schools and managed care market penetration.

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Moy, E; Mazzaschi, A J; Levin, R J; Blake, D A; Griner, P F

1997-07-16

Medical research conducted in academic medical centers is often dependent on support from clinical revenues generated in these institutions. Anecdotal evidence suggests that managed care has the potential to affect research conducted in academic medical centers by challenging these clinical revenues. To examine whether empirical evidence supports a relationship between managed care and the ability of US medical schools to sustain biomedical research. Data on annual extramural research grants awarded to US medical schools by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from fiscal years 1986 to 1995 were obtained, and each medical school was matched to a market for which information about health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration in 1995 was available. Growth in total NIH awards, traditional research project (R01) awards, R01 awards to clinical and basic science departments, and changes in institutional ranking by NIH awards were compared among schools located in markets with low, medium, and high managed care penetration. Medical schools in all markets had comparable rates of growth in NIH awards from 1986 to 1990. Thereafter, medical schools in markets with high managed care penetration had slower growth in the dollar amounts and numbers of NIH awards compared with schools in markets with low or medium managed care penetration. This slower growth for schools in high managed care markets was associated with loss of share of NIH awards, equal to $98 million in 1995, and lower institutional ranking by NIH awards. Much of this revenue loss can be explained by the slower growth of R01 awards to clinical departments in medical schools in high managed care markets. These findings provide evidence of an inverse relationship between growth in NIH awards during the past decade and managed care penetration among US medical schools. Whether this association is causal remains to be determined.

Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study.

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Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod

2016-02-01

Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality.

[Systematic review and evidence mapping of empirical studies on health status and medical care among refugees and asylum seekers in Germany (1990-2014)].

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Bozorgmehr, Kayvan; Mohsenpour, Amir; Saure, Daniel; Stock, Christian; Loerbroks, Adrian; Joos, Stefanie; Schneider, Christine

2016-05-01

Owing to a lack of routine statistics on the health status and medical care of asylum seekers, empirical studies play a major role in the mapping of these aspects. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the research landscape in this area, synthesizing knowledge from empirical studies and identifying evidence gaps. A three-tiered search strategy included searching for empirical studies in national/international databases and on the internet, screening reference lists, and contacting experts. Studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria were thematically organized and described in a narrative synthesis. The searches generated 1,190 hits; 52 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 41 were quantitative studies (78.9 %), 10 qualitative (19.2 %), and 1 was a review (1.9 %). A total of 30 primary articles (58.9 %) analyzed mental health aspects, followed by infectious diseases (n = 12, 23.5 %). Qualitative studies, mainly ethnographies and case studies, explored mental health and social determinants of health, providing evidence for the impact of living conditions on health and medical care. Few studies analyzed chronic diseases (n = 3) or childhood illnesses (n = 6). No studies analyzed the health needs or medical care of asylum-seeking women during pregnancy and child birth. In 62.7 % of the primary studies, a single sampling point was used to recruit asylum seekers. Nationwide external validity was given in two quantitative studies. The priority research areas identified are chronic diseases and childhood and maternal health. The divergency and heterogeneity of the studies hamper a comprehensive and comparable acquisition of knowledgeand emphasize the  need for collaborative research to close the existing evidence gaps.

A mobility program for an inpatient acute care medical unit.

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Wood, Winnie; Tschannen, Dana; Trotsky, Alyssa; Grunawalt, Julie; Adams, Danyell; Chang, Robert; Kendziora, Sandra; Diccion-MacDonald, Stephanie

2014-10-01

For many patients, hospitalization brings prolonged periods of bed rest, which are associated with such adverse health outcomes as increased length of stay, increased risk of falls, functional decline, and extended-care facility placement. Most studies of progressive or early mobility protocols designed to minimize these adverse effects have been geared toward specific patient populations and conducted by multidisciplinary teams in either ICUs or surgical units. Very few mobility programs have been developed for and implemented on acute care medical units. This evidence-based quality improvement project describes how a mobility program, devised for and put to use on a general medical unit in a large Midwestern academic health care system, improved patient outcomes.

Care coordination, medical complexity, and unmet need for prescription medications among children with special health care needs.

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Aboneh, Ephrem A; Chui, Michelle A

Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) have multiple unmet health care needs including that of prescription medications. The objectives of this study were twofold: 1) to quantify and compare unmet needs for prescription medications for subgroups of CSHCN without and with medical complexity (CMC)-those who have multiple, chronic, and complex medical conditions associated with severe functional limitations and high utilization of health care resources, and 2) to describe its association with receipt of effective care coordination services and level of medical complexity. A secondary data analysis of the 2009/2010 National Survey of CSHCN, a nationally representative telephone survey of parents of CSHCN, was conducted. Logistic regression models were constructed to determine associations between unmet need for prescription medications and medical complexity and care coordination for families of CSHCN, while controlling for demographic variables such as race, insurance, education level, and household income. Analyses accounted for the complex survey design and sampling weights. CMC represented about 3% of CSHCN. CMC parents reported significantly more unmet need for prescription medications and care coordination (4%, 68%), compared to Non-CMC parents (2%, 40%). Greater unmet need for prescription medications was associated with unmet care coordination (adjusted OR 3.81; 95% CI: 2.70-5.40) and greater medical complexity (adjusted OR 2.01; 95% CI: 1.00-4.03). Traditional care coordination is primarily facilitated by nurses and nurse practitioners with little formal training in medication management. However, pharmacists are rarely part of the CSHCN care coordination model. As care delivery models for these children evolve, and given the complexity of and numerous transitions of care for these patients, pharmacists can play an integral role to improve unmet needs for prescription medications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RFID and medication care.

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Lahtela, Antti; Saranto, Kaija

2009-01-01

Dynamic healthcare needs new IT innovations and applications to be able to treat the rapidly growing number of patients effectively and safely. The information technology has to support healthcare in developing practices and nursing patients without confronting any complications or errors. One critical and important part of healthcare is medication care, which is very vulnerable for different kind of errors, even on fatal errors. Thus, medication care needs new methods for avoiding errors in different situations during medication administration. This poster represents an RFID-based automated identification system for medication care in a hospital environment. This work is a part of the research project MaISSI (Managing IT Services and Service Implementation) at the University of Kuopio, Department of Computer Science, Finland.

Early-life medical care and human capital accumulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daysal, N. Meltem

2015-01-01

that both types of interventions may benefit not only child health but also long-term educational outcomes. In addition, early-life medical interventions may improve the educational outcomes of siblings. These findings can be used to design policies that improve long-term outcomes and reduce economic......Ample empirical evidence links adverse conditions during early childhood (the period from conception to age five) to worse health outcomes and lower academic achievement in adulthood. Can early-life medical care and public health interventions ameliorate these effects? Recent research suggests...

Developing evidence-based maternity care in Iran: a quality improvement study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Kazem

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Current Iranian perinatal statistics indicate that maternity care continues to need improvement. In response, we implemented a multi-faceted intervention to improve the quality of maternity care at an Iranian Social Security Hospital. Using a before-and-after design our aim was to improve the uptake of selected evidence based practices and more closely attend to identified women's needs and preferences. Methods The major steps of the study were to (1 identify women's needs, values and preferences via interviews, (2 select through a process of professional consensus the top evidence-based clinical recommendations requiring local implementation (3 redesign care based on the selected evidence-based recommendations and women's views, and (4 implement the new care model. We measured the impact of the new care model on maternal satisfaction and caesarean birth rates utilising maternal surveys and medical record audit before and after implementation of the new care model. Results Twenty women's needs and requirements as well as ten evidence-based clinical recommendations were selected as a basis for improving care. Following the introduction of the new model of care, women's satisfaction levels improved significantly on 16 of 20 items (p Conclusion The introduction of a quality improvement care model improved compliance with evidence-based guidelines and was associated with an improvement in women's satisfaction levels and a reduction in rates of caesarean birth.

Evidence-based decision making in health care settings: from theory to practice.

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Kohn, Melanie Kazman; Berta, Whitney; Langley, Ann; Davis, David

2011-01-01

The relatively recent attention that evidence-based decision making has received in health care management has been at least in part due to the profound influence of evidence-based medicine. The result has been several comparisons in the literature between the use of evidence in health care management decisions and the use of evidence in medical decision making. Direct comparison, however, may be problematic, given the differences between medicine and management as they relate to (1) the nature of evidence that is brought to bear on decision making; (2) the maturity of empirical research in each field (in particular, studies that have substantiated whether or not and how evidence-based decision making is enacted); and (3) the context within which evidence-based decisions are made. By simultaneously reviewing evidence-based medicine and management, this chapter aims to inform future theorizing and empirical research on evidence-based decision making in health care settings.

Contrasting Medical and Legal Standards of Evidence: A Precision Medicine Case Study.

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Marchant, Gary E; Scheckel, Kathryn; Campos-Outcalt, Doug

2016-03-01

As the health care system transitions to a precision medicine approach that tailors clinical care to the genetic profile of the individual patient, there is a potential tension between the clinical uptake of new technologies by providers and the legal system's expectation of the standard of care in applying such technologies. We examine this tension by comparing the type of evidence that physicians and courts are likely to rely on in determining a duty to recommend pharmacogenetic testing of patients prescribed the oral anti-coagulant drug warfarin. There is a large body of inconsistent evidence and factors for and against such testing, but physicians and courts are likely to weigh this evidence differently. The potential implications for medical malpractice risk are evaluated and discussed. © 2016 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics.

[Evidence-based management of medical disposable materials].

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Yang, Hai

2009-03-01

Evidence-based management of medical disposable materials pays attention to collect evidence comprehensively and systematically, accumulate and create evidence through its own work and also evaluate evidence strictly. This can be used as a function to guide out job. Medical disposable materials evidence system contains product register qualification, product quality certification, supplier's behavior, internal and external communication evidence. Managers can find different ways in creating and using evidence referring to specific inside and outside condition. Evidence-based management can help accelerating the development of management of medical disposable materials from traditional experience pattern to a systematic and scientific pattern. It also has the very important meaning to improve medical quality, control the unreasonable growth of medical expense and make purchase and supply chain be more efficient.

A clinician's artificial organ? Instant messaging applications in medical care.

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Tazegul, Gokhan; Bozoglan, Humeyra; Ogut, Tahir S; Balcı, Mustafa K

2017-09-15

After the development of the first phone at the end of 19th century, communication technologies took a great leap forward in the 20th century. With the birth of the "smartphone" in the 21st century, communication technologies exponentially evolved and became an important part of our daily routine. Effective communications between clinicians is critical in medical care and miscommunications are a source of errors. Although telecommunication technologies have proliferated dramatically in the last decade, there is scarce evidence-based information on the use of this technology in medical care. For the purposes of medical communication, we can now consult each other about patients individually and within a group via instant messaging applications by using text messages, photos, audio messages and even videos. In this review, we examine the uses and drawbacks of instant messaging applications in medical communications.

A systematic review of the effect of different models of after-hours primary medical care services on clinical outcome, medical workload, and patient and GP satisfaction.

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Leibowitz, Ruth; Day, Susan; Dunt, David

2003-06-01

The organization of after-hours primary medical care services is changing in many countries. Increasing demand, economic considerations and changes in doctors' attitudes are fueling these changes. Information for policy makers in this field is needed. However, a comprehensive review of the international literature that compares the effects of one model of after-hours care with another is lacking. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the international literature to determine what evidence exists about the effect of different models of out-of-hours primary medical care service on outcome. Original studies and systematic reviews written since 1976 on the subject of 'after-hours primary medical care services' were identified. Databases searched were Medline/Premedline, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, Current Contents, Cochrane Reviews, DARE, EBM Reviews and EconLit. For each paper where the optimal design would have been an interventional study, the 'level' of evidence was assessed as described in the National Health and Medical Research Council Handbook. 'Comparative' studies (levels I, II, III and IV pre-/post-test studies) were included in this review. Six main models of after-hours primary care services (not mutually exclusive) were identified: practice-based services, deputizing services, emergency departments, co-operatives, primary care centres, and telephone triage and advice services. Outcomes were divided into the following categories: clinical outcomes, medical workload, and patient and GP satisfaction. The results indicate that the introduction of a telephone triage and advice service for after-hours primary medical care may reduce the immediate medical workload. Deputizing services increase immediate medical workload because of the low use of telephone advice and the high home visiting rate. Co-operatives, which use telephone triage and primary care centres and have a low home visiting rate, reduce immediate medical workload. There is little

Training medical providers in evidence-based approaches to suicide prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

DeHay, Tamara; Ross, Sarah; McFaul, Mimi

2015-01-01

Suicide is a significant issue in the United States and worldwide, and its prevention is a public health imperative. Primary care practices are an important setting for suicide prevention, as primary care providers have more frequent contact with patients at risk for suicide than any other type of health-care provider. The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, in partnership with the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, has developed a Suicide Prevention Toolkit and an associated training curriculum. These resources support the education of primary care providers in evidence-based strategies for identifying and treating patients at risk for suicide. The application of this curriculum to post-graduate medical training is presented here. © The Author(s) 2015.

Medical care of radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakao, Isamu

1986-02-01

This monograph, divided into six chapters, focuses on basic knowledge and medical strategies for radiation accidents. Chapters I to V deal with practice in emergency care for radiation exposure, covering 1) medical strategies for radiation accidents, 2) personnel dosimetry and monitoring, 3) nuclear facilities and their surrounding areas with the potential for creating radiation accidents, and emergency medical care for exposed persons, 4) emergency care procedures for radiation exposure and radioactive contamination, and 5) radiation hazards and their treatment. The last chapter provides some references. (Namekawa, K.)

Medical care of radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakao, Isamu

1986-01-01

Focusing on the population exposed to radioactivity released from a nuclear power plant, the paper gives an overview of medical strategies in emergency care, steps in medical care, and clinical procedures including decontamination and oral administration of iodine-131. Strategies for evacuation are presented depending on predicted exposure doses to the whole body and thyroid gland. Medical care consists of three steps. When the thyroid gland is supposed to be exposed to 5 - 50 rem or more, the oral administration of iodine-131 is recommended. (Namekawa, K.)

[Glocalization: the outlook for Taiwan evidence based health care].

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Chen, Chiehfeng

2014-12-01

Public attention to evidence-based health care (EBHC) has increased significantly in recent years. Key problems related to applying EBHC in current healthcare practice include the timely update of up-to-date knowledge and skills and the methodology used to implement EBHC in clinical settings. EBHC has been introduced to the Taiwan healthcare system for the past two decades. The annual EBM (Evidence based medicine) National Competition is a unique and important EBHC activity in Taiwan. EBHC has been promoted widely in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health and other professions, and EBHC-related organizations such as the Taiwan Evidence Based Medicine Association (TEBMA), and Taiwan Evidence Based Nursing Association (TEBNA), have increased in number and grown in membership. In addition to domestic developments, Taiwan is also actively involved in global organizations, such as the Cochrane Collaboration, East Asian Cochrane Alliance (EACA), and the International Society for Evidence Based Health Care (ISEHC). In Taiwan, most medical professionals work cooperatively to promote EBHC, which facilitates the gradual improvement of healthcare quality.

Medical tourism in plastic surgery: ethical guidelines and practice standards for perioperative care.

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Iorio, Matthew L; Verma, Kapil; Ashktorab, Samaneh; Davison, Steven P

2014-06-01

The goal of this review was to identify the safety and medical care issues that surround the management of patients who had previously undergone medical care through tourism medicine. Medical tourism in plastic surgery occurs via three main referral patterns: macrotourism, in which a patient receives treatments abroad; microtourism, in which a patient undergoes a procedure by a distant plastic surgeon but requires postoperative and/or long-term management by a local plastic surgeon; and specialty tourism, in which a patient receives plastic surgery from a non-plastic surgeon. The ethical practice guidelines of the American Medical Association, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and American Board of Plastic Surgeons were reviewed with respect to patient care and the practice of medical tourism. Safe and responsible care should start prior to surgery, with communication and postoperative planning between the treating physician and the accepting physician. Complications can arise at any time; however, it is the duty and ethical responsibility of plastic surgeons to prevent unnecessary complications following tourism medicine by adequately counseling patients, defining perioperative treatment protocols, and reporting complications to regional and specialty-specific governing bodies. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Implementation of Patient-Centered Medical Homes in Adult Primary Care Practices.

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Alexander, Jeffrey A; Markovitz, Amanda R; Paustian, Michael L; Wise, Christopher G; El Reda, Darline K; Green, Lee A; Fetters, Michael D

2015-08-01

There has been relatively little empirical evidence about the effects of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) implementation on patient-related outcomes and costs. Using a longitudinal design and a large study group of 2,218 Michigan adult primary care practices, our study examined the following research questions: Is the level of, and change in, implementation of PCMH associated with medical surgical cost, preventive services utilization, and quality of care in the following year? Results indicated that both level and amount of change in practice implementation of PCMH are independently and positively associated with measures of quality of care and use of preventive services, after controlling for a variety of practice, patient cohort, and practice environmental characteristics. Results also indicate that lower overall medical and surgical costs are associated with higher levels of PCMH implementation, although change in PCMH implementation did not achieve statistical significance. © The Author(s) 2015.

The value of self-medication: summary of existing evidence.

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Noone, Joshua; Blanchette, Christopher M

2018-02-01

The aim of this review was to identify the international evidence that is currently available on the economic value of self-care through responsible self-medication, in terms of the measures related to access to treatment, time, and productivity. A targeted literature search was conducted for 1990-2016, including data gathered from members of the World Self-Medication Industry and searches on PubMed, EBSCOHost, and Google Scholar. Specific searches of individual drug classes known to be switched to non-prescription status in this period were also conducted. A total of 71 articles were identified, of which 17 (11 modeling studies, six retrospective analyses) were included in the review. Evidence from modeling studies and retrospective analyses of grouped data across a range of common conditions for which non-prescription medications are available in different countries/regions showed that the use of non-prescription products for the treatment of common conditions or for symptom management (e.g. allergies, chronic pain, migraine, vaginitis, gastrointestinal symptoms, or common cold symptoms) had considerable value to patients, payers, and employers alike in terms of cost savings and improved productivity. Potential benefits of self-medication were also identified in preventative healthcare strategies, such as those for cardiovascular health and osteoporosis. This review was limited by a targeted, but non-systematic approach to literature retrieval, as well as the inclusion of unpublished reports/white papers and patient self-reported data. The evidence identified in this literature review shows that responsible, appropriate self-medication with non-prescription products can provide significant economic benefits for patients, employers, and healthcare systems worldwide.

Medication safety programs in primary care: a scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, Hanan; Shahid, Monica; Roughead, Libby

2017-10-01

Medication safety plays an essential role in all healthcare organizations; improving this area is paramount to quality and safety of any wider healthcare program. While several medication safety programs in the hospital setting have been described and the associated impact on patient safety evaluated, no systematic reviews have described the impact of medication safety programs in the primary care setting. A preliminary search of the literature demonstrated that no systematic reviews, meta-analysis or scoping reviews have reported on medication safety programs in primary care; instead they have focused on specific interventions such as medication reconciliation or computerized physician order entry. This scoping review sought to map the current medication safety programs used in primary care. The current scoping review sought to examine the characteristics of medication safety programs in the primary care setting and to map evidence on the outcome measures used to assess the effectiveness of medication safety programs in improving patient safety. The current review considered participants of any age and any condition using care obtained from any primary care services. We considered studies that focussed on the characteristics of medication safety programs and the outcome measures used to measure the effectiveness of these programs on patient safety in the primary care setting. The context of this review was primary care settings, primary healthcare organizations, general practitioner clinics, outpatient clinics and any other clinics that do not classify patients as inpatients. We considered all quantitative studied published in English. A three-step search strategy was utilized in this review. Data were extracted from the included studies to address the review question. The data extracted included type of medication safety program, author, country of origin, aims and purpose of the study, study population, method, comparator, context, main findings and outcome

Pediatric сlinic of Odessa National Medical University: the quality of emergency medical care for children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E.A. Starets

2017-04-01

guidelines based on the principles of evidence-based medicine; 5 the increasing the acceptability of medical care through the implementation of patient-centred technologies; 6 the implementation of culture of patient safety; 7 the continual training of medical staff.

Patient-centered medical homes improve care for adults with chronic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Pourat, Nadereh; Lavarreda, Shana Alex; Snyder, Sophie

2013-05-01

The success of health care reform implementation in 2014 partly depends on more efficient delivery of care to the millions of California residents eligible to gain insurance. Emerging evidence supports the effectiveness of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) as a potential model of care delivery, which improves health outcomes and reduces costs. Among other principles, PCMH entails receipt of care from a personal doctor, who coordinates the patient's care and develops an individualized treatment plan for the patient. These principles are particularly essential in delivery of care to those with chronic conditions who require more intensive care management. Using the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2009), this policy brief indicates that patients who reported meeting these fundamental PCMH principles were more likely to have visited the doctor and to have received flu shots, and they also had better communication with providers than those who did not report meeting these PCMH principles. The data also showed that uninsured individuals, Medi-Cal beneficiaries, those at or below 133% of the federal poverty level, Latinos, and Asian-Americans were less likely to report meeting all three PCMH principles. These findings highlight the population groups that would most benefit from the PCMH care delivery model, particularly Medi-Cal beneficiaries and those eligible for Covered California, the California health benefits exchange.

The Role of Medical Informatics in Primary Care Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PJ McCullagh

2000-02-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the ability of a group of Primary Care professionals to acquire appropriate document retrieval skills, so that they can apply evidence based health care techniques to their various Primary Care roles. The participants, most of whom had little prior experience of the Internet, were enrolled on a two-year part-time Postgraduate Diploma / MSc in Primary Care. As part of the course, they took a compulsory 12-week module in Medical Informatics. A specific task was set: to find appropriate information on Meningococcal Meningitis and Public Health, by using National Library of Medicine's PUBMED bibliographic retrieval system and other unspecified Internet sources. A supplementary piece of coursework required the group to become information providers by providing tutorials on the world wide web. Analysis of the reports showed that the participants were able to learn and use the information tools successfully and that appropriate skills can be transferred in a short time. Overall nine were positive as to the benefits of the evidence-based approach contributing to local health care, with nine expressing mixed views and two having more negative opinions.

Barriers and facilitators to replicating an evidence-based palliative care model.

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Davis, E Maxwell; Jamison, Paula; Brumley, Richard; Enguídanos, Susan

2006-01-01

Recognition of the difficulties involved in replicating evidence- based interventions is well documented in the literature within the medical field. Promising research findings are often not translated into practice, and if they are, there is a significant time gap between study conclusion and practice adoption. The purpose of this article is to describe the barriers and facilitators encountered by two managed care organizations while replicating an evidence-based end of life in-home palliative care model. Using Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a theoretical framework, results from focus groups and interviews with the project's clinical, administrative and research teams are presented and recommendations made for improving translational efforts. The process of replicating the end of life in-home palliative care model clearly illustrated the key elements required for successfully diffusing innovation. These key elements include marketing and communication, leadership, organizational support and training and mentorship. This qualitative process study provides clear, real world perspectives of the myriad of challenges encountered in replicating an evidence-based project.

Patient participation in medication safety during an acute care admission.

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McTier, Lauren; Botti, Mari; Duke, Maxine

2015-10-01

Patient participation in medication management during hospitalization is thought to reduce medication errors and, following discharge, improve adherence and therapeutic use of medications. There is, however, limited understanding of how patients participate in their medication management while hospitalized. To explore patient participation in the context of medication management during a hospital admission for a cardiac surgical intervention of patients with cardiovascular disease. Single institution, case study design. The unit of analysis was a cardiothoracic ward of a major metropolitan, tertiary referral hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Multiple methods of data collection were used including pre-admission and pre-discharge patient interviews (n = 98), naturalistic observations (n = 48) and focus group interviews (n = 2). All patients had changes made to their pre-operative cardiovascular medications as a consequence of surgery. More patients were able to list and state the purpose and side-effects of their cardiovascular medications at pre-admission than prior to discharge from hospital. There was very little evidence that nurses used opportunities such as medication administration times to engage patients in medication management during hospital admission. Failure to engage patients in medication management and provide opportunities for patients to learn about changes to their medications has implications for the quality and safety of care patients receive in hospital and when managing their medications once discharged. To increase the opportunity for patients to participate in medication management, a fundamental shift in the way nurses currently provide care is required. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The ecology of medical care in Beijing.

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Shuang Shao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: We presented the pattern of health care consumption, and the utilization of available resources by describing the ecology of medical care in Beijing on a monthly basis and by describing the socio-demographic characteristics associated with receipt care in different settings. METHODS: A cohort of 6,592 adults, 15 years of age and older were sampled to estimate the number of urban-resident adults per 1,000 who visited a medical facility at least once in a month, by the method of three-stage stratified and cluster random sampling. Separate logistic regression analyses assessed the association between those receiving care in different types of setting and their socio-demographic characteristics. RESULTS: On average per 1,000 adults, 295 had at least one symptom, 217 considered seeking medical care, 173 consulted a physician, 129 visited western medical practitioners, 127 visited a hospital-based outpatient clinic, 78 visited traditional Chinese medical practitioners, 43 visited a primary care physician, 35 received care in an emergency department, 15 were hospitalized. Health care seeking behaviors varied with socio-demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, ethnicity, resident census register, marital status, education, income, and health insurance status. In term of primary care, the gate-keeping and referral roles of Community Health Centers have not yet been fully established in Beijing. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents a first attempt to map the medical care ecology of Beijing urban population and provides timely baseline information for health care reform in China.

Evidence and its uses in health care and research: the role of critical thinking.

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Jenicek, Milos; Croskerry, Pat; Hitchcock, David L

2011-01-01

Obtaining and critically appraising evidence is clearly not enough to make better decisions in clinical care. The evidence should be linked to the clinician's expertise, the patient's individual circumstances (including values and preferences), and clinical context and settings. We propose critical thinking and decision-making as the tools for making that link. Critical thinking is also called for in medical research and medical writing, especially where pre-canned methodologies are not enough. It is also involved in our exchanges of ideas at floor rounds, grand rounds and case discussions; our communications with patients and lay stakeholders in health care; and our writing of research papers, grant applications and grant reviews. Critical thinking is a learned process which benefits from teaching and guided practice like any discipline in health sciences. Training in critical thinking should be a part or a pre-requisite of the medical curriculum.

Evidence and its uses in health care and research: The role of critical thinking

Science.gov (United States)

Jenicek, Milos; Croskerry, Pat; Hitchcock, David L.

2011-01-01

Summary Obtaining and critically appraising evidence is clearly not enough to make better decisions in clinical care. The evidence should be linked to the clinician’s expertise, the patient’s individual circumstances (including values and preferences), and clinical context and settings. We propose critical thinking and decision-making as the tools for making that link. Critical thinking is also called for in medical research and medical writing, especially where pre-canned methodologies are not enough. It is also involved in our exchanges of ideas at floor rounds, grand rounds and case discussions; our communications with patients and lay stakeholders in health care; and our writing of research papers, grant applications and grant reviews. Critical thinking is a learned process which benefits from teaching and guided practice like any discipline in health sciences. Training in critical thinking should be a part or a pre-requisite of the medical curriculum. PMID:21169920

Higher Referrals for Diabetes Education in a Medical Home Model of Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Manard, William T; Syberg, Kevin; Behera, Anit; Salas, Joanne; Schneider, F David; Armbrecht, Eric; Hooks-Anderson, Denise; Crannage, Erica; Scherrer, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

The medical home model has been gaining attention from the health care community as a strategy for improved outcomes for management of chronic disease, including diabetes. The purpose of this study was to compare referrals for diabetes education among patients receiving care from a medical home model versus a traditional practice. Data were obtained from a large, university-affiliated primary care patient data registry. All patients (age 18-96 years) with a diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes and seen by a physician at least twice during 2011 to 2013 were selected for inclusion. Multivariate regression models measuring the association between medical home status and referral to diabetes education were computed before and after adjusting for covariates. A significantly (P patients in a medical home than without a medical home (23.9% vs 13.5%) received a referral for diabetes education. After adjusting for covariates, medical home patients were 2.7 times more likely to receive a referral for diabetes education (odds ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.69-4.35). Patients in a medical home model were more likely to receive referrals for diabetes education than patients in a standard university-affiliated family medicine practice. Future longitudinal designs that match characteristics of patients with a medical home with those of patients without one will provide strong evidence to determine whether referral to diabetes education is a result of the medical home model of care independent of confounding factors. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Redefining "Medical Care."

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Lauren R

President Donald J. Trump has said he will repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replace it with health savings accounts (HSAs). Conservatives have long preferred individual accounts to meet social welfare needs instead of more traditional entitlement programs. The types of "medical care" that can be reimbursed through an HSA are listed in section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) and include expenses "for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body." In spite of the broad language, regulations and court interpretations have narrowed this definition substantially. It does not include the many social factors that determine health outcomes. Though the United States spends over seventeen percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on "healthcare", the country's focus on the traditional medicalized model of health results in overall population health that is far beneath the results of other countries that spend significantly less. Precision medicine is one exceptional way in which American healthcare has focused more on individuals instead of providing broad, one-size-fits-all medical care. The precision medicine movement calls for using the genetic code of individuals to both predict future illness and to target treatments for current illnesses. Yet the definition of "medical care" under the Code remains the same for all. My proposal for precision healthcare accounts involves two steps-- the first of which requires permitting physicians to write prescriptions for a broader range of goods and services. The social determinants of health are as important to health outcomes as are surgical procedures and drugs--or perhaps more so according to many population health studies. The second step requires agencies and courts to interpret what constitutes "medical care" under the Code differently depending on the taxpayer's income level. Childhood sports programs and payments

Expert Involvement and Adherence to Medical Evidence in Medical Mobile Phone Apps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Subhi, Yousif; Bube, Sarah Hjartbro; Rolskov Bojsen, Signe

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Both clinicians and patients use medical mobile phone apps. Anyone can publish medical apps, which leads to contents with variable quality that may have a serious impact on human lives. We herein provide an overview of the prevalence of expert involvement in app development and whether...... or not app contents adhere to current medical evidence. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review studies evaluating expert involvement or adherence of app content to medical evidence in medical mobile phone apps. METHODS: We systematically searched 3 databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and EMBASE......), and included studies evaluating expert involvement or adherence of app content to medical evidence in medical mobile phone apps. Two authors performed data extraction independently. Qualitative analysis of the included studies was performed. RESULTS: Based on inclusion criteria, 52 studies were included...

Seeking health care through international medical tourism.

Science.gov (United States)

Eissler, Lee Ann; Casken, John

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was the exploration of international travel experiences for the purpose of medical or dental care from the perspective of patients from Alaska and to develop insight and understanding of the essence of the phenomenon of medical tourism. The study is conceptually oriented within a model of health-seeking behavior. Using a qualitative design, 15 Alaska medical tourists were individually interviewed. The data were analyzed using a hermeneutic process of inquiry to uncover the meaning of the experience. Six themes reflecting the experiences of Alaska medical tourists emerged: "my motivation," "I did the research," "the medical care I need," "follow-up care," "the advice I give," and "in the future." Subthemes further categorized data for increased understanding of the phenomenon. The thematic analysis provides insight into the experience and reflects a modern approach to health-seeking behavior through international medical tourism. The results of this study provide increased understanding of the experience of obtaining health care internationally from the patient perspective. Improved understanding of medical tourism provides additional information about a contemporary approach to health-seeking behavior. Results of this study will aid nursing professionals in counseling regarding medical tourism options and providing follow-up health care after medical tourism. Nurses will be able to actively participate in global health policy discussions regarding medical tourism trends. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Alcohol consumption in early adolescence and medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Borrás Santiesteban, Tania

2016-10-01

Alcohol consumptionin adolescents is a risky behavior that can be prevented. Objective. To determine health care and alcohol consumption pattern in early adolescence and its relation to determinants of health (biological, environmental, social and health system factors). A qualitative-quantitative, crosssectional study was carried out in the four schools belonging to Popular Council 8 of Mario Gutiérrez Ardaya health sector in May, 2013. The study universe was made up of adolescents aged 10-14. The sample was determined through a simple randomized sampling. Surveys were administered to adolescents, parents, educators and senior health staff members to determine alcohol consumption, medical care quality and level of knowledge on the problem. A nominal group with health professionals was created. Two hundred and eighty eight adolescents were included. 54.5% were alcohol users, of which 30.2% were 10-11 years old. Those classified as low risk were prevailing (55.6%). 100% of the senior health staff expressed the need for a methodology of care. 90.4% of education staff considered adolescence as a vulnerable stage. Relatives reported that there should be adolescent-specific medical appointments (61.8%). The nominal group's most important opinions were based on the main features that a consultation for adolescents should have and on the problems hindering proper care. Alcohol consumption was considered high and early start prevailed. Insufficient care to early adolescents who use alcohol was made evident. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

Undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care: a nationwide survey at German medical schools.

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Beckers, Stefan K; Timmermann, Arnd; Müller, Michael P; Angstwurm, Matthias; Walcher, Felix

2009-05-12

Since June 2002, revised regulations in Germany have required "Emergency Medical Care" as an interdisciplinary subject, and state that emergency treatment should be of increasing importance within the curriculum. A survey of the current status of undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care establishes the basis for further committee work. Using a standardized questionnaire, all medical faculties in Germany were asked to answer questions concerning the structure of their curriculum, representation of disciplines, instructors' qualifications, teaching and assessment methods, as well as evaluation procedures. Data from 35 of the 38 medical schools in Germany were analysed. In 32 of 35 medical faculties, the local Department of Anaesthesiology is responsible for the teaching of emergency medical care; in two faculties, emergency medicine is taught mainly by the Department of Surgery and in another by Internal Medicine. Lectures, seminars and practical training units are scheduled in varying composition at 97% of the locations. Simulation technology is integrated at 60% (n = 21); problem-based learning at 29% (n = 10), e-learning at 3% (n = 1), and internship in ambulance service is mandatory at 11% (n = 4). In terms of assessment methods, multiple-choice exams (15 to 70 questions) are favoured (89%, n = 31), partially supplemented by open questions (31%, n = 11). Some faculties also perform single practical tests (43%, n = 15), objective structured clinical examination (OSCE; 29%, n = 10) or oral examinations (17%, n = 6). Emergency Medical Care in undergraduate medical education in Germany has a practical orientation, but is very inconsistently structured. The innovative options of simulation technology or state-of-the-art assessment methods are not consistently utilized. Therefore, an exchange of experiences and concepts between faculties and disciplines should be promoted to guarantee a standard level of education in emergency medical care.

Undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care: A nationwide survey at German medical schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timmermann Arnd

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Since June 2002, revised regulations in Germany have required "Emergency Medical Care" as an interdisciplinary subject, and state that emergency treatment should be of increasing importance within the curriculum. A survey of the current status of undergraduate medical education in emergency medical care establishes the basis for further committee work. Methods Using a standardized questionnaire, all medical faculties in Germany were asked to answer questions concerning the structure of their curriculum, representation of disciplines, instructors' qualifications, teaching and assessment methods, as well as evaluation procedures. Results Data from 35 of the 38 medical schools in Germany were analysed. In 32 of 35 medical faculties, the local Department of Anaesthesiology is responsible for the teaching of emergency medical care; in two faculties, emergency medicine is taught mainly by the Department of Surgery and in another by Internal Medicine. Lectures, seminars and practical training units are scheduled in varying composition at 97% of the locations. Simulation technology is integrated at 60% (n = 21; problem-based learning at 29% (n = 10, e-learning at 3% (n = 1, and internship in ambulance service is mandatory at 11% (n = 4. In terms of assessment methods, multiple-choice exams (15 to 70 questions are favoured (89%, n = 31, partially supplemented by open questions (31%, n = 11. Some faculties also perform single practical tests (43%, n = 15, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE; 29%, n = 10 or oral examinations (17%, n = 6. Conclusion Emergency Medical Care in undergraduate medical education in Germany has a practical orientation, but is very inconsistently structured. The innovative options of simulation technology or state-of-the-art assessment methods are not consistently utilized. Therefore, an exchange of experiences and concepts between faculties and disciplines should be promoted to guarantee a standard

Medical students' learning orientation regarding interracial interactions affects preparedness to care for minority patients: a report from Medical Student CHANGES.

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Burgess, Diana J; Burke, Sara E; Cunningham, Brooke A; Dovidio, John F; Hardeman, Rachel R; Hou, Yuefeng; Nelson, David B; Perry, Sylvia P; Phelan, Sean M; Yeazel, Mark W; van Ryn, Michelle

2016-09-29

There is a paucity of evidence on how to train medical students to provide equitable, high quality care to racial and ethnic minority patients. We test the hypothesis that medical schools' ability to foster a learning orientation toward interracial interactions (i.e., that students can improve their ability to successfully interact with people of another race and learn from their mistakes), will contribute to white medical students' readiness to care for racial minority patients. We then test the hypothesis that white medical students who perceive their medical school environment as supporting a learning orientation will benefit more from disparities training. Prospective observational study involving web-based questionnaires administered during first (2010) and last (2014) semesters of medical school to 2394 white medical students from a stratified, random sample of 49 U.S. medical schools. Analysis used data from students' last semester to build mixed effects hierarchical models in order to assess the effects of medical school interracial learning orientation, calculated at both the school and individual (student) level, on key dependent measures. School differences in learning orientation explained part of the school difference in readiness to care for minority patients. However, individual differences in learning orientation accounted for individual differences in readiness, even after controlling for school-level learning orientation. Individual differences in learning orientation significantly moderated the effect of disparities training on white students' readiness to care for minority patients. Specifically, white medical students who perceived a high level of learning orientation in their medical schools regarding interracial interactions benefited more from training to address disparities. Coursework aimed at reducing healthcare disparities and improving the care of racial minority patients was only effective when white medical students perceived their

Professional, structural and organisational interventions in primary care for reducing medication errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, Hanan; Bell, Brian; Chambers, Helen; Sheikh, Aziz; Avery, Anthony J

2017-10-04

Medication-related adverse events in primary care represent an important cause of hospital admissions and mortality. Adverse events could result from people experiencing adverse drug reactions (not usually preventable) or could be due to medication errors (usually preventable). To determine the effectiveness of professional, organisational and structural interventions compared to standard care to reduce preventable medication errors by primary healthcare professionals that lead to hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and mortality in adults. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, three other databases, and two trial registries on 4 October 2016, together with reference checking, citation searching and contact with study authors to identify additional studies. We also searched several sources of grey literature. We included randomised trials in which healthcare professionals provided community-based medical services. We also included interventions in outpatient clinics attached to a hospital where people are seen by healthcare professionals but are not admitted to hospital. We only included interventions that aimed to reduce medication errors leading to hospital admissions, emergency department visits, or mortality. We included all participants, irrespective of age, who were prescribed medication by a primary healthcare professional. Three review authors independently extracted data. Each of the outcomes (hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and mortality), are reported in natural units (i.e. number of participants with an event per total number of participants at follow-up). We presented all outcomes as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used the GRADE tool to assess the certainty of evidence. We included 30 studies (169,969 participants) in the review addressing various interventions to prevent medication errors; four studies addressed professional interventions (8266 participants) and 26 studies described

Parental Perceptions of Family Centered Care in Medical Homes of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zajicek-Farber, Michaela L; Lotrecchiano, Gaetano R; Long, Toby M; Farber, Jon Matthew

2015-08-01

Life course theory sets the framework for strong inclusion of family centered care (FCC) in quality medical homes of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (CNDD). The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of families with their experiences of FCC in medical homes for CNDD. Using a structured questionnaire, the Family-Centered Care Self-Assessment Tool developed by Family Voices, this study surveyed 122 parents of CNDD in a large urban area during 2010-2012. Data collected information on FCC in the provision of primary health care services for CNDD and focused on family-provider partnerships, care setting practices and policies, and community services. Frequency analysis classified participants' responses as strengths in the "most of the time" range, and weaknesses in the "never" range. Only 31 % of parents were satisfied with the primary health care their CNDD received. Based on an accepted definition of medical home services, 16 % of parents reported their CNDD had most aspects of a medical home, 64 % had some, and 20 % had none. Strengths in FCC were primarily evident in the family-provider partnership and care settings when focused on meeting the medical care needs of the child. Weaknesses in FCC were noted in meeting the needs of families, coordination, follow-up, and support with community resources. Improvements in key pediatric health care strategies for CNDD are recommended. CNDD and their families have multifaceted needs that require strong partnerships among parents, providers, and communities. Quality medical homes must include FCC and valued partnerships with diverse families and community-based providers.

Seniors managing multiple medications: using mixed methods to view the home care safety lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Ariella; Macdonald, Marilyn; Marck, Patricia; Toon, Lynn; Griffin, Melissa; Easty, Tony; Fraser, Kimberly; MacKinnon, Neil; Mitchell, Jonathan; Lang, Eddy; Goodwin, Sharon

2015-12-12

Patient safety is a national and international priority with medication safety earmarked as both a prevalent and high-risk area of concern. To date, medication safety research has focused overwhelmingly on institutional based care provided by paid healthcare professionals, which often has little applicability to the home care setting. This critical gap in our current understanding of medication safety in the home care sector is particularly evident with the elderly who often manage more than one chronic illness and a complex palette of medications, along with other care needs. This study addresses the medication management issues faced by seniors with chronic illnesses, their family, caregivers, and paid providers within Canadian publicly funded home care programs in Alberta (AB), Ontario (ON), Quebec (QC) and Nova Scotia (NS). Informed by a socio-ecological perspective, this study utilized Interpretive Description (ID) methodology and participatory photographic methods to capture and analyze a range of visual and textual data. Three successive phases of data collection and analysis were conducted in a concurrent, iterative fashion in eight urban and/or rural households in each province. A total of 94 participants (i.e., seniors receiving home care services, their family/caregivers, and paid providers) were interviewed individually. In addition, 69 providers took part in focus groups. Analysis was iterative and concurrent with data collection in that each interview was compared with subsequent interviews for converging as well as diverging patterns. Six patterns were identified that provide a rich portrayal of the complexity of medication management safety in home care: vulnerabilities that impact the safe management and storage of medication, sustaining adequate supports, degrees of shared accountability for care, systems of variable effectiveness, poly-literacy required to navigate the system, and systemic challenges to maintaining medication safety in the home

Afraid of medical care school-aged children's narratives about medical fear.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsner, Maria; Jansson, Lilian; Söderberg, Anna

2009-12-01

Fear can be problematic for children who come into contact with medical care. This study aimed to illuminate the meaning of being afraid when in contact with medical care, as narrated by children 7-11 years old. Nine children participated in the study, which applied a phenomenological hermeneutic analysis methodology. The children experienced medical care as "being threatened by a monster," but the possibility of breaking this spell of fear was also mediated. The findings indicate the important role of being emotionally hurt in a child's fear to create, together with the child, an alternate narrative of overcoming this fear.

Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Adolescent Care: Psychosocial and Medical Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Guss, Carly; Shumer, Daniel; Katz-Wise, Sabra L.

2015-01-01

Purpose of review Transgender individuals display incongruence between their assigned birth sex and their current gender identity, and may identify as male, female or elsewhere on the gender spectrum. Gender nonconformity describes an individual whose gender identity, role, or expression are not typical for individuals in a given assigned sex category. This update highlights recent literature pertaining to the psychosocial and medical care of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGN) adolescents with applications for the general practitioner. Recent findings The psychological risks and outcomes of TGN adolescents are being more widely recognized. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that social and medical gender transition reduces gender dysphoria, defined as distress that accompanies the incongruence between one’s birth sex and identified gender. Unfortunately, lack of education about TGN adolescents in medical training persists. Summary Recent literature highlights increased health risks in TGN adolescents and improved outcomes following gender dysphoria treatment. It is important for clinicians to become familiar with the range of treatment options and referral resources available to TGN adolescents in order to provide optimal and welcoming care to all adolescents. PMID:26087416

Transgender and gender nonconforming adolescent care: psychosocial and medical considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Guss, Carly; Shumer, Daniel; Katz-Wise, Sabra L

2015-08-01

Transgender individuals display incongruence between their assigned birth sex and their current gender identity, and may identify as male, female, or being elsewhere on the gender spectrum. Gender nonconformity describes an individual whose gender identity, role, or expression is not typical for individuals in a given assigned sex category. This update highlights recent literature pertaining to the psychosocial and medical care of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGN) adolescents with applications for the general practitioner. The psychological risks and outcomes of TGN adolescents are being more widely recognized. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that social and medical gender transition reduces gender dysphoria, defined as distress that accompanies the incongruence between one's birth sex and identified gender. Unfortunately, lack of education about TGN adolescents in medical training persists. Recent literature highlights increased health risks in TGN adolescents and improved outcomes following gender dysphoria treatment. It is important for clinicians to become familiar with the range of treatment options and referral resources available to TGN adolescents in order to provide optimal and welcoming care to all adolescents.

Evidence based evaluation of immuno-coagulatory interventions in critical care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Afshari, Arash

2011-01-01

Cochrane systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomised trials provide guidance for clinical practice and health-care decision-making. In case of disagreements between research evidence and clinical practice, high quality systematic reviews can facilitate implementation or deimplementation o...... of medical interventions into clinical practice. This applies especially to treatment of critically ill patients where interventions are most often costly and the clinical conditions are associated with high mortality....

Medical Care Tasks among Spousal Dementia Caregivers: Links to Care-Related Sleep Disturbances.

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Polenick, Courtney A; Leggett, Amanda N; Maust, Donovan T; Kales, Helen C

2018-05-01

Medical care tasks are commonly provided by spouses caring for persons living with dementia (PLWDs). These tasks reflect complex care demands that may interfere with sleep, yet their implications for caregivers' sleep outcomes are unknown. The authors evaluated the association between caregivers' medical/nursing tasks (keeping track of medications; managing tasks such as ostomy care, intravenous lines, or blood testing; giving shots/injections; and caring for skin wounds/sores) and care-related sleep disturbances. A retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving was conducted. Spousal caregivers and PLWDs/proxies were interviewed by telephone at home. The U.S. sample included 104 community-dwelling spousal caregivers and PLWDs. Caregivers reported on their sociodemographic and health characteristics, caregiving stressors, negative caregiving relationship quality, and sleep disturbances. PLWDs (or proxies) reported on their health conditions and sleep problems. Caregivers who performed a higher number of medical/nursing tasks reported significantly more frequent care-related sleep disturbances, controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics, caregiving stressors, negative caregiving relationship quality, and PLWDs' sleep problems and health conditions. Post hoc tests showed that wound care was independently associated with more frequent care-related sleep disturbances after accounting for the other medical/nursing tasks and covariates. Spousal caregivers of PLWDs who perform medical/nursing tasks may be at heightened risk for sleep disturbances and associated adverse health consequences. Interventions to promote the well-being of both care partners may benefit from directly addressing caregivers' needs and concerns about their provision of medical/nursing care. Copyright © 2018 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

Analysis of the evidence-practice gap to facilitate proper medical care for the elderly: investigation, using databases, of utilization measures for National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB).

Science.gov (United States)

Nakayama, Takeo; Imanaka, Yuichi; Okuno, Yasushi; Kato, Genta; Kuroda, Tomohiro; Goto, Rei; Tanaka, Shiro; Tamura, Hiroshi; Fukuhara, Shunichi; Fukuma, Shingo; Muto, Manabu; Yanagita, Motoko; Yamamoto, Yosuke

2017-06-06

As Japan becomes a super-aging society, presentation of the best ways to provide medical care for the elderly, and the direction of that care, are important national issues. Elderly people have multi-morbidity with numerous medical conditions and use many medical resources for complex treatment patterns. This increases the likelihood of inappropriate medical practices and an evidence-practice gap. The present study aimed to: derive findings that are applicable to policy from an elucidation of the actual state of medical care for the elderly; establish a foundation for the utilization of National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB), and present measures for the utilization of existing databases in parallel with NDB validation.Cross-sectional and retrospective cohort studies were conducted using the NDB built by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan, private health insurance claims databases, and the Kyoto University Hospital database (including related hospitals). Medical practices (drug prescription, interventional procedures, testing) related to four issues-potential inappropriate medication, cancer therapy, chronic kidney disease treatment, and end-of-life care-will be described. The relationships between these issues and clinical outcomes (death, initiation of dialysis and other adverse events) will be evaluated, if possible.

Medical returns: seeking health care in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Horton, Sarah; Cole, Stephanie

2011-06-01

Despite the growing prevalence of transnational medical travel among immigrant groups in industrialized nations, relatively little scholarship has explored the diverse reasons immigrants return home for care. To date, most research suggests that cost, lack of insurance and convenience propel US Latinos to seek health care along the Mexican border. Yet medical returns are common even among Latinos who do have health insurance and even among those not residing close to the border. This suggests that the distinct culture of medicine as practiced in the border clinics Latinos visit may be as important a factor in influencing medical returns as convenience and cost. Drawing upon qualitative interviews, this article presents an emic account of Latinos' perceptions of the features of medical practice in Mexico that make medical returns attractive. Between November 15, 2009 and January 15, 2010, we conducted qualitative interviews with 15 Mexican immigrants and nine Mexican Americans who sought care at Border Hospital, a private clinic in Tijuana. Sixteen were uninsured and eight had insurance. Yet of the 16 uninsured, six had purposefully dropped their insurance to make this clinic their permanent "medical home." Moreover, those who substituted receiving care at Border Hospital for their US health insurance plan did so not only because of cost, but also because of what they perceived as the distinctive style of medical practice at Border Hospital. Interviewees mentioned the rapidity of services, personal attention, effective medications, and emphasis on clinical discretion as features distinguishing "Mexican medical practice," opposing these features to the frequent referrals and tests, impersonal doctor-patient relationships, uniform treatment protocols and reliance on surgeries they experienced in the US health care system. While interviewees portrayed these features as characterizing a uniform "Mexican medical culture," we suggest that they are best described as

Expert Involvement and Adherence to Medical Evidence in Medical Mobile Phone Apps: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Subhi, Yousif; Bube, Sarah Hjartbro; Rolskov Bojsen, Signe; Skou Thomsen, Ann Sofia; Konge, Lars

2015-07-27

Both clinicians and patients use medical mobile phone apps. Anyone can publish medical apps, which leads to contents with variable quality that may have a serious impact on human lives. We herein provide an overview of the prevalence of expert involvement in app development and whether or not app contents adhere to current medical evidence. To systematically review studies evaluating expert involvement or adherence of app content to medical evidence in medical mobile phone apps. We systematically searched 3 databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and EMBASE), and included studies evaluating expert involvement or adherence of app content to medical evidence in medical mobile phone apps. Two authors performed data extraction independently. Qualitative analysis of the included studies was performed. Based on inclusion criteria, 52 studies were included in this review. These studies assessed a total of 6520 apps. Studies dealt with a variety of medical specialties and topics. As much as 28 studies assessed expert involvement, which was found in 9-67% of the assessed apps. Thirty studies (including 6 studies that also assessed expert involvement) assessed adherence of app content to current medical evidence. Thirteen studies found that 10-87% of the assessed apps adhered fully to the compared evidence (published studies, recommendations, and guidelines). Seventeen studies found that none of the assessed apps (n=2237) adhered fully to the compared evidence. Most medical mobile phone apps lack expert involvement and do not adhere to relevant medical evidence.

Organisational fundamentals of medical care in catastrophes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahnefeld, F.W.

1983-01-01

The author presents definitions, considerations, and fundamentals of discussion. He starts by listing the institutions, equipment and traning required for medical care and life-saving services in cases of emergency. A central coordination service for medical care and life saving is proposed. The present situation is reviewed, future needs are stated, and the necessary components of a medical service are listed. (DG) [de

Teaching Medical Students About "The Conversation": An Interactive Value-Based Advance Care Planning Session.

Science.gov (United States)

Lum, Hillary D; Dukes, Joanna; Church, Skotti; Abbott, Jean; Youngwerth, Jean M

2018-02-01

Advance care planning (ACP) promotes care consistent with patient wishes. Medical education should teach how to initiate value-based ACP conversations. To develop and evaluate an ACP educational session to teach medical students a value-based ACP process and to encourage students to take personal ACP action steps. Groups of third-year medical students participated in a 75-minute session using personal reflection and discussion framed by The Conversation Starter Kit. The Conversation Project is a free resource designed to help individuals and families express their wishes for end-of-life care. One hundred twenty-seven US third-year medical students participated in the session. Student evaluations immediately after the session and 1 month later via electronic survey. More than 90% of students positively evaluated the educational value of the session, including rating highly the opportunities to reflect on their own ACP and to use The Conversation Starter Kit. Many students (65%) reported prior ACP conversations. After the session, 73% reported plans to discuss ACP, 91% had thought about preferences for future medical care, and 39% had chosen a medical decision maker. Only a minority had completed an advance directive (14%) or talked with their health-care provider (1%). One month later, there was no evidence that the session increased students' actions regarding these same ACP action steps. A value-based ACP educational session using The Conversation Starter Kit successfully engaged medical students in learning about ACP conversations, both professionally and personally. This session may help students initiate conversations for themselves and their patients.

Caring to Care: Applying Noddings' Philosophy to Medical Education.

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Balmer, Dorene F; Hirsh, David A; Monie, Daphne; Weil, Henry; Richards, Boyd F

2016-12-01

The authors argue that Nel Noddings' philosophy, "an ethic of caring," may illuminate how students learn to be caring physicians from their experience of being in a caring, reciprocal relationship with teaching faculty. In her philosophy, Noddings acknowledges two important contextual continuities: duration and space, which the authors speculate exist within longitudinal integrated clerkships. In this Perspective, the authors highlight core features of Noddings' philosophy and explore its applicability to medical education. They apply Noddings' philosophy to a subset of data from a previously published longitudinal case study to explore its "goodness of fit" with the experience of eight students in the 2012 cohort of the Columbia-Bassett longitudinal integrated clerkship. In line with Noddings' philosophy, the authors' supplementary analysis suggests that students (1) recognized caring when they talked about "being known" by teaching faculty who "cared for" and "trusted" them; (2) responded to caring by demonstrating enthusiasm, action, and responsibility toward patients; and (3) acknowledged that duration and space facilitated caring relations with teaching faculty. The authors discuss how Noddings' philosophy provides a useful conceptual framework to apply to medical education design and to future research on caring-oriented clinical training, such as longitudinal integrated clerkships.

Aligning guidelines and medical practice: Literature review on pediatric palliative care guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

De Clercq, Eva; Rost, Michael; Pacurari, Nadia; Elger, Bernice S; Wangmo, Tenzin

2017-08-01

Palliative care for children is becoming an important subspecialty of healthcare. Although concurrent administration of curative and palliative care is recommended, timely referral to pediatric palliative care (PPC) services remains problematic. This literature review aims to identify barriers and recommendations for proper implementation of palliative care for children through the looking glass of PPC guidelines. To identify studies on PPC guidelines, five databases were searched systematically between 1960 and 2015: Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, the Web of Science, and CINAHL. No restrictions were placed on the type of methodology employed in the studies. Concerning barriers, most of the papers focused on gaps within medical practice and the lack of evidence-based research. Common recommendations therefore included: training and education of healthcare staff, formation of a multidisciplinary PPC team, research on the benefits of PPC, and raising awareness about PPC. A small number of publications reported on the absence of clear guidance in PPC documents regarding bereavement care, as well as on the difficulties and challenges involved in multidisciplinary care teams. Our results indicate that a critical assessment of both the research guidelines and medical practice is required in order to promote timely implementation of PPC for pediatric patients.

Radiation protection medical care of radiation workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walt, H.

1988-01-01

Radiation protection medical care for radiation workers is part of the extensive programme protecting people against dangers emanating from the peaceful application of ionizing radiation. Thus it is a special field of occupational health care and emergency medicine in case of radiation accidents. It has proved helpful in preventing radiation damage as well as in early detection, treatment, after-care, and expert assessment. The medical checks include pre-employment and follow-up examinations, continued long-range medical care as well as specific monitoring of individuals and defined groups of workers. Three levels of action are involved: works medical officers specialized in radiation protection, the Institute of Medicine at the National Board for Atomic Safety and Radiation Protection, and a network of clinical departments specialized in handling cases of acute radiation damage. An account is given of categories, types, and methods of examinations for radiation workers and operators. (author)

42 CFR 456.143 - Content of medical care evaluation studies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Content of medical care evaluation studies. 456.143 Section 456.143 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN...: Medical Care Evaluation Studies § 456.143 Content of medical care evaluation studies. Each medical care...

Canadian Consensus on Medically Acceptable Wait Times for Digestive Health Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William G Paterson

2006-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Delays in access to health care in Canada have been reported, but standardized systems to manage and monitor wait lists and wait times, and benchmarks for appropriate wait times, are lacking. The objective of the present consensus was to develop evidence- and expertise-based recommendations for medically appropriate maximal wait times for consultation and procedures by a digestive disease specialist.

Medical Care Cost Recovery National Database (MCCR NDB)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — The Medical Care Cost Recovery National Database (MCCR NDB) provides a repository of summary Medical Care Collections Fund (MCCF) billing and collection information...

The role that graduate medical education must play in ensuring health equity and eliminating health care disparities.

Science.gov (United States)

Maldonado, Maria E; Fried, Ethan D; DuBose, Thomas D; Nelson, Consuelo; Breida, Margaret

2014-05-01

Despite the 2002 Institute of Medicine report that described the moral and financial impact of health care disparities and the need to address them, it is evident that health care disparities persist. Recommendations for addressing disparities include collecting and reporting data on patient race and ethnicity, supporting language interpretation services, increasing awareness of health care disparities through education, requiring cultural competency training for all health care professionals, and increasing diversity among those delivering health care. The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education places strong emphasis on graduate medical education's role in eliminating health care disparities by asking medical educators to objectively evaluate and report on their trainees' ability to practice patient-centered, culturally competent care. Moreover, one of the objectives of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education Clinical Learning Environment Review visits as part of the Next Accreditation System is to identify how sponsoring institutions engage residents and fellows in the use of data to improve systems of care, reduce health care disparities, and improve patient outcomes. Residency and fellowship programs should ensure the delivery of meaningful curricula on cultural competency and health care disparities, for which there are numerous resources, and ensure resident assessment of culturally competent care. Moreover, training programs and institutional leadership need to collaborate on ensuring data collection on patient satisfaction, outcomes, and quality measures that are broken down by patient race, cultural identification, and language. A diverse physician workforce is another strategy for mitigating health care disparities, and using strategies to enhance faculty diversity should also be a priority of graduate medical education. Transparent data about institutional diversity efforts should be provided to interested medical students

[Medication errors in Spanish intensive care units].

Science.gov (United States)

Merino, P; Martín, M C; Alonso, A; Gutiérrez, I; Alvarez, J; Becerril, F

2013-01-01

To estimate the incidence of medication errors in Spanish intensive care units. Post hoc study of the SYREC trial. A longitudinal observational study carried out during 24 hours in patients admitted to the ICU. Spanish intensive care units. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit participating in the SYREC during the period of study. Risk, individual risk, and rate of medication errors. The final study sample consisted of 1017 patients from 79 intensive care units; 591 (58%) were affected by one or more incidents. Of these, 253 (43%) had at least one medication-related incident. The total number of incidents reported was 1424, of which 350 (25%) were medication errors. The risk of suffering at least one incident was 22% (IQR: 8-50%) while the individual risk was 21% (IQR: 8-42%). The medication error rate was 1.13 medication errors per 100 patient-days of stay. Most incidents occurred in the prescription (34%) and administration (28%) phases, 16% resulted in patient harm, and 82% were considered "totally avoidable". Medication errors are among the most frequent types of incidents in critically ill patients, and are more common in the prescription and administration stages. Although most such incidents have no clinical consequences, a significant percentage prove harmful for the patient, and a large proportion are avoidable. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Improving medication safety in primary care. A review and consensus procedure by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lainer, M.; Vogele, A.; Wensing, M.; Sonnichsen, A.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Drug treatment is an important clinical process in primary care that is associated with risk of error and adverse events. OBJECTIVE: To review currently available research evidence on the topic and to develop a framework, which can help to guide improvement of medication safety. METHODS:

Implementing the patient-centered medical home model for chronic disease care in small medical practices: practice group characteristics and physician understanding.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Louisa; Nash, David B

2013-01-01

Strengthening primary care may improve health outcomes and restrain spending. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model is endorsed as a tool to achieve this. Early evaluations in large group practices demonstrate improvements in some health outcomes. Evidence is lacking from small medical practices that deliver the majority of primary health care. This was a national survey of 200 physicians that explored perceptions of PCMH. There was considerable interest in adoption of the model; however, providing PCMH care was seen as an extension of traditional roles that requires additional reimbursement. No differentiation was made among a variety of payment models to do this. All joint principle components of the model were identified as important: extending access and information technology were the most contentious. There was consensus that PCMH might improve the quality of primary care; however, tension between wider societal benefits and rising costs for individual practices was a challenge to implementation.

Financial burden of medical care: a family perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Robin A; Kirzinger, Whitney K

2014-01-01

Data from the National Health Interview Survey, 2012. In 2012, more than one in four families experienced financial burdens of medical care. Families with incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) were more likely to experience financial burdens of medical care than families with incomes above 250% of the FPL. Families with children aged 0-17 years were more likely than families without children to experience financial burdens of medical care. The presence of a family member who was uninsured increased the likelihood that a family would experience a financial burden of medical care. Recently published data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) found that 1 in 5 persons was in a family having problems paying medical bills, and 1 in 10 persons was in a family with medical bills that they were unable to pay at all (1-3). NHIS defines "family" as an individual or a group of two or more related persons living together in the same housing unit. The family perspective is important to consider when examining financial risk because significant expenses for one family member may adversely affect the whole family. Health insurance coverage is one way for a family to mitigate financial risk associated with health care costs, although health insurance status may differ among family members. This report explores selected family demographic characteristics and their association with financial burdens of medical care (problems paying medical bills, paying medical bills over time, and having medical bills that cannot be paid) based on data from the 2012 NHIS. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Evidence-based Nursing in the IED: From Caring to Curing?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jette Ernst

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Danish hospitals are major sites of healthcare reform, and new public management accountability and performance management tools have been applied to improve the quality and efficiency of services. One consequence of this is that nurses’ work in hospitals is increasingly standardized through medical evidence. Using Bourdieu’s theory of practice in combination with an ethnographic field study, it is analyzed how the nurses of a Danish Integrated Emergency Department respond to the changing conditions of work. It is illuminated how two opposing approaches to nursing of humanistically and pluralistically oriented caring, and evidence-based scientifically oriented curing inform nursing in the department. The curing approach is however trumping the caring approach. Curing creates new nursing career pathways and is by some nurses embraced with enthusiasm. For others, the new situation creates tension and distress. It is illustrated how the nurses position their practice in relation to the changing working conditions taking sides for either curing or caring, or finding a way to maneuver in between the two. The article argues that the normative enforcement of the curing approach may carry unintended side effects to the goals of quality and efficiency enhancements.

Addressing the primary care physician shortage in an evolving medical workforce

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lakhan Shaheen E

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Primary care physicians have been shown to play an important role in the general health of the communities in which they serve. In spite of their importance, however, there has been a decrease in the number of physicians interested in pursuing primary care fields, while the proportion of specialists continues to increase. The prediction of an overall physician shortage only augments this issue in the US, where this uneven distribution is particularly evident. As such, serious effort to increase the number of practicing primary care physicians is both necessary and beneficial for meeting this country's health care needs. Discussion There are several factors at play which contribute to the decrease in the number of practicing physicians in primary specialties. Lifestyle concerns, such as schedule and income, as well as the lack of prestige associated with this field seem to be among the most prevalent reasons cited for the diminishing interest. Multifaceted concerns such as these, however, are difficult to adequately invalidate; doing so would not only require a great deal research, but also a good deal of time – a resource which is in short supply given the current physician shortage being faced. Thus, a more immediate solution may lie in the increased recruitment and continued support of those individuals who are already associated with primary care service. This is particularly relevant given the Association of American Medical College's goal of increasing medical school enrollment by 15% over the next 10 years. Several groups have been shown to be large contributors to primary care in the US. Here, we focus on three such groups: minority students, International Medical Graduates (IMGs and Osteopathic Physicians (DOs. Although these groups are highly diverse individually, they all share the distinction of being underutilized in regard to the current primary care shortages faced. Thus, through more fully accentuating these

Evidence-based surgical care and the evolution of fast-track surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kehlet, H.; Wilmore, D.W.

2008-01-01

, randomized studies, and meta-analyses, the concept of the "fast-track methodology" has uniformly provided a major enhancement in recovery leading to decreased hospital stay and with an apparent reduction in medical morbidity but unaltered "surgery-specific" morbidity in a variety of procedures. However......BACKGROUND: Optimization of postoperative outcome requires the application of evidence-based principles of care carefully integrated into a multimodal rehabilitation program. OBJECTIVE: To assess, synthesize, and discuss implementation of "fast-track" recovery programs. DATA SOURCES: Medline MBASE...... (January 1966-May 2007) and the Cochrane library (January 1966-May 2007) were searched using the following keywords: fast-track, enhanced recovery, accelerated rehabilitation, and multimodal and perioperative care. In addition, the synthesis on the many specific interventions and organizational...

Medical Education in Decentralized Settings: How Medical Students Contribute to Health Care in 10 Sub-Saharan African Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Talib, Zohray; van Schalkwyk, Susan; Couper, Ian; Pattanaik, Swaha; Turay, Khadija; Sagay, Atiene S; Baingana, Rhona; Baird, Sarah; Gaede, Bernhard; Iputo, Jehu; Kibore, Minnie; Manongi, Rachel; Matsika, Antony; Mogodi, Mpho; Ramucesse, Jeremais; Ross, Heather; Simuyeba, Moses; Haile-Mariam, Damen

2017-12-01

African medical schools are expanding, straining resources at tertiary health facilities. Decentralizing clinical training can alleviate this tension. This study assessed the impact of decentralized training and contribution of undergraduate medical students at health facilities. Participants were from 11 Medical Education Partnership Initiative-funded medical schools in 10 African countries. Each school identified two clinical training sites-one rural and the other either peri-urban or urban. Qualitative and quantitative data collection tools were used to gather information about the sites, student activities, and staff perspectives between March 2015 and February 2016. Interviews with site staff were analyzed using a collaborative directed approach to content analysis, and frequencies were generated to describe site characteristics and student experiences. The clinical sites varied in level of care but were similar in scope of clinical services and types of clinical and nonclinical student activities. Staff indicated that students have a positive effect on job satisfaction and workload. Respondents reported that students improved the work environment, institutional reputation, and introduced evidence-based approaches. Students also contributed to perceived improvements in quality of care, patient experience, and community outreach. Staff highlighted the need for resources to support students. Students were seen as valuable resources for health facilities. They strengthened health care quality by supporting overburdened staff and by bringing rigor and accountability into the work environment. As medical schools expand, especially in low-resource settings, mobilizing new and existing resources for decentralized clinical training could transform health facilities into vibrant service and learning environments.

Medication errors in home care: a qualitative focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Berland, Astrid; Bentsen, Signe Berit

2017-11-01

To explore registered nurses' experiences of medication errors and patient safety in home care. The focus of care for older patients has shifted from institutional care towards a model of home care. Medication errors are common in this situation and can result in patient morbidity and mortality. An exploratory qualitative design with focus group interviews was used. Four focus group interviews were conducted with 20 registered nurses in home care. The data were analysed using content analysis. Five categories were identified as follows: lack of information, lack of competence, reporting medication errors, trade name products vs. generic name products, and improving routines. Medication errors occur frequently in home care and can threaten the safety of patients. Insufficient exchange of information and poor communication between the specialist and home-care health services, and between general practitioners and healthcare workers can lead to medication errors. A lack of competence in healthcare workers can also lead to medication errors. To prevent these, it is important that there should be up-to-date information and communication between healthcare workers during the transfer of patients from specialist to home care. Ensuring competence among healthcare workers with regard to medication is also important. In addition, there should be openness and accurate reporting of medication errors, as well as in setting routines for the preparation, alteration and administration of medicines. To prevent medication errors in home care, up-to-date information and communication between healthcare workers is important when patients are transferred from specialist to home care. It is also important to ensure adequate competence with regard to medication, and that there should be openness when medication errors occur, as well as in setting routines for the preparation, alteration and administration of medications. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

MEDICAL SERVICES OR MEDICAL CARE – AN URGENT ISSUE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Pesennikova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To consider the relationship between the concepts of “medical service” and “medical care” in the work of public medical institutions, based on the analysis of normative legal documents of the modern period.Materials and methods. In the course of the research, more than 18 legal and regulatory documents that were published during the period from 1990 to 2017 were analyzed, an analysis of judicial practice and related literature sources (periodicals was carried out.Results. The analysis made it possible to distinguish the stages in the development of the organizational and legal framework for the provision of paid medical services in the Russian Federation and the dynamics of the relationship between the terms “medical care” and “medical service”. It was revealed that the concept of “medical services” appeared much later and was associated with the development of paid medical services and the need to establish legal aspects of health care. The provision of medical assistance is regulated mainly by public law, and the provision of medical services is governed by private law. The term “medical care” is broader than the “medical service” from the standpoint of the social aspect. At the same time, the concept of “medical service” can be considered more widely than medical care in cases when it is not only about measures aimed at treating the patient, but also about providing additional services to the patient in the process of receiving medical care.Conclusion. Thus, we concluded that the categories of medical care and medical services should not be identified, but also not completely different concepts, but rather enter into a partial intersection relationship. The need to distinguish between the concepts of “medical care” and “medical service” is dictated not only by the category relations or opinion of the population and the medical community, but also by the need for legal support for the process of

Should Health Care Aides Assist With Medications in Long-Term Care?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mubashir Arain PhD

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether health care aides (HCAs could safely assist in medication administration in long-term care (LTC. Method: We obtained medication error reports from LTC facilities that involve HCAs in oral medication assistance and we analyzed Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI data from these facilities. Standard ratings of error severity were “no apparent harm,” “minimum harm,” and “moderate harm.” Results: We retrieved error reports from two LTC facilities with 220 errors reported by all health care providers including HCAs. HCAs were involved in 137 (63% errors, licensed practical nurses (LPNs/registered nurses (RNs in 77 (35%, and pharmacy in four (2%. The analysis of error severity showed that HCAs were significantly less likely to cause errors of moderate severity than other nursing staff (2% vs. 7%, chi-square = 5.1, p value = .04. Conclusion: HCAs’ assistance in oral medications in LTC facilities appears to be safe when provided under the medication assistance guidelines.

National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect data on the utilization and provision of ambulatory care services in hospital...

Specific Components of Pediatricians' Medication-Related Care Predict Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Jeffery N; Kelleher, Kelly J; Baum, Rebecca; Brinkman, William B; Peugh, James; Gardner, William; Lichtenstein, Phil; Langberg, Joshua M

2017-06-01

The development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care quality measurements is a prerequisite to improving the quality of community-based pediatric care of children with ADHD. Unfortunately, the evidence base for existing ADHD care quality metrics is poor. The objective of this study was to identify which components of ADHD care best predict patient outcomes. Parents of 372 medication-naïve children in grades 1 to 5 presenting to their community-based pediatrician (N = 195) for an ADHD-related concern and who were subsequently prescribed ADHD medication were identified. Parents completed the Vanderbilt ADHD Parent Rating Scale (VAPRS) at the time ADHD was raised as a concern and then approximately 12 months after starting ADHD medication. Each patient's chart was reviewed to measure 12 different components of ADHD care. Across all children, the mean decrease in VAPRS total symptom score during the first year of treatment was 11.6 (standard deviation 10.1). Of the 12 components of ADHD care, shorter times to first contact and more teacher ratings collected in the first year of treatment significantly predicted greater decreases in patient total symptom scores. Notably, it was timeliness of contacts, defined as office visits, phone calls, or email communication, that predicted more ADHD symptom decreases. Office visits alone, in terms of number or timeliness, did not predict patient outcomes. The magnitude of ADHD symptom decrease that can be achieved with the use of ADHD medications was associated with specific components of ADHD care. Future development and modifications of ADHD quality care metrics should include these ADHD care components. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 59167 - Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Oncology Care Systems Division, Concord, CA; Siemens Medical...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-23

... Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Oncology Care Systems Division, Concord, CA; Siemens Medical Solutions USA... Solutions USA, Inc. (Siemens), Oncology Care Systems Division, Concord, California (subject firm). The...., Oncology Care Systems Division, Concord, California (TA-W-73,158) and Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc...

Find Ryan White HIV/AIDS Medical Care Providers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Find Ryan White HIV/AIDS Medical Care Providers tool is a locator that helps people living with HIV/AIDS access medical care and related services. Users can...

Implementing a Psychotherapy Service for Medically Unexplained Symptoms in a Primary Care Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Cooper

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS are known to be costly, complex to manage and inadequately addressed in primary care settings. In many cases, there are unresolved psychological and emotional processes underlying these symptoms, leaving traditional medical approaches insufficient. This paper details the implementation of an evidence-based, emotion-focused psychotherapy service for MUS across two family medicine clinics. The theory and evidence-base for using Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP with MUS is presented along with the key service components of assessment, treatment, education and research. Preliminary outcome indicators showed diverse benefits. Patients reported significantly decreased somatic symptoms in the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (d = 0.4. A statistically significant (23% decrease in family physicians’ visits was found in the 6 months after attending the MUS service compared to the 6 months prior. Both patients and primary care clinicians reported a high degree of satisfaction with the service. Whilst further research is needed, these findings suggest that a direct psychology service maintained within the family practice clinic may assist patient and clinician function while reducing healthcare utilization. Challenges and further service developments are discussed, including the potential benefits of re-branding the service to become a ‘Primary Care Psychological Consultation and Treatment Service’.

Implementing a Psychotherapy Service for Medically Unexplained Symptoms in a Primary Care Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Angela; Abbass, Allan; Town, Joel

2017-11-29

Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are known to be costly, complex to manage and inadequately addressed in primary care settings. In many cases, there are unresolved psychological and emotional processes underlying these symptoms, leaving traditional medical approaches insufficient. This paper details the implementation of an evidence-based, emotion-focused psychotherapy service for MUS across two family medicine clinics. The theory and evidence-base for using Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) with MUS is presented along with the key service components of assessment, treatment, education and research. Preliminary outcome indicators showed diverse benefits. Patients reported significantly decreased somatic symptoms in the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 ( d = 0.4). A statistically significant (23%) decrease in family physicians' visits was found in the 6 months after attending the MUS service compared to the 6 months prior. Both patients and primary care clinicians reported a high degree of satisfaction with the service. Whilst further research is needed, these findings suggest that a direct psychology service maintained within the family practice clinic may assist patient and clinician function while reducing healthcare utilization. Challenges and further service developments are discussed, including the potential benefits of re-branding the service to become a 'Primary Care Psychological Consultation and Treatment Service'.

42 CFR 34.7 - Medical and other care; death.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medical and other care; death. 34.7 Section 34.7... EXAMINATIONS MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF ALIENS § 34.7 Medical and other care; death. (a) An alien detained by or in... further care. (b) In case of the death of an alien, the body shall be delivered to the consular or...

Total cost of care lower among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries receiving care from patient-centered medical homes.

Science.gov (United States)

van Hasselt, Martijn; McCall, Nancy; Keyes, Vince; Wensky, Suzanne G; Smith, Kevin W

2015-02-01

To compare health care utilization and payments between NCQA-recognized patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices and practices without such recognition. Medicare Part A and B claims files from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010, 2009 Census, 2007 Health Resources and Services Administration and CMS Utilization file, Medicare's Enrollment Data Base, and the 2005 American Medical Association Physician Workforce file. This study used a longitudinal, nonexperimental design. Three annual observations (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2010) were available for each practice. We compared selected outcomes between practices with and those without NCQA PCMH recognition. Individual Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries and their claims and utilization data were assigned to PCMH or comparison practices based on where they received the plurality of evaluation and management services between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Relative to the comparison group, total Medicare payments, acute care payments, and the number of emergency room visits declined after practices received NCQA PCMH recognition. The decline was larger for practices with sicker than average patients, primary care practices, and solo practices. This study provides additional evidence about the potential of the PCMH model for reducing health care utilization and the cost of care. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Medical Assistant-based care management for high risk patients in small primary care practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Freund, Tobias; Peters-Klimm, Frank; Boyd, Cynthia M.

2016-01-01

Background: Patients with multiple chronic conditions are at high risk of potentially avoidable hospital admissions, which may be reduced by care coordination and self-management support. Medical assistants are an increasingly available resource for patient care in primary care practices. Objective......: To determine whether protocol-based care management delivered by medical assistants improves patient care in patients at high risk of future hospitalization in primary care. Design: Two-year cluster randomized clinical trial. Setting: 115 primary care practices in Germany. Patients: 2,076 patients with type 2......, and monitoring delivered by medical assistants with usual care. Measurements: All-cause hospitalizations at 12 months (primary outcome) and quality of life scores (Short Form 12 Health Questionnaire [SF-12] and the Euroqol instrument [EQ-5D]). Results: Included patients had, on average, four co-occurring chronic...

How is research evidence used to support claims made in advertisements for wound care products?

Science.gov (United States)

Dumville, Jo C; Petherick, Emily S; O'Meara, Susan; Raynor, Pauline; Cullum, Nicky

2009-05-01

To investigate the amount, type and accuracy of citations use in support of product related claims from advertisements of wound care products. Although articles submitted to most medical journals are subjected to peer review, such scrutiny is often not required for the content of advertisements. A contents survey of advertisements from two wound care journals (Journal of Wound Care and Ostomy Wound Management) from 2002-2003 and the British Medical Journal, 2002-2003. Data collected from advertisements included identification of product related claims made and any corresponding citations. Where journal articles were cited to support claims, the articles were obtained. Where data on file were cited, this material was requested. In each case the accuracy of claims in relation to the content of the supporting citation was assessed. The use of citations to support product related claims was infrequent in advertisements from wound care journals, where 35% of advertisements containing a product related claim also contained at least one citation, compared with 63% of advertisements from the British Medical Journal. Of citations that were supplied, journal articles were less common in the wound journals (40% vs. 73% in the British Medical Journal) and data on file more common (38% vs. 6% in the British Medical Journal). Where journal articles were obtained, 56% of claims in the wound care journals advertisements were not supported by the cited article, compared with 12% of claims in the British Medical Journal. The wound journals advertised predominantly medical devices. The use and accuracy of referencing in advertisements from wound care journals was poor. Nurses have increasing responsibilities for the prescribing of both drugs and devices, which must be accompanied by the ability to interpret marketing materials and research evidence critically. Nurse educators must ensure that nurse education generally and nurse prescriber training particularly, builds skills of

High-cost users of medical care

OpenAIRE

Garfinkel, Steven A.; Riley, Gerald F.; Iannacchione, Vincent G.

1988-01-01

Based on data from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey, the 10 percent of the noninstitutionalized U.S. population that incurred the highest medical care charges was responsible for 75 percent of all incurred charges. Health status was the strongest predictor of high-cost use, followed by economic factors. Persons 65 years of age or over incurred far higher costs than younger persons and had higher out-of-pocket costs, absolutely and as a percentage of income, althoug...

Prioritizing medication safety in care of people with cancer: clinicians’ views on main problems and solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Car, Lorainne Tudor; Papachristou, Nikolaos; Urch, Catherine; Majeed, Azeem; Atun, Rifat; Car, Josip; Vincent, Charles

2017-01-01

received the strongest agreement among the clinicians. Conclusions Clinician–identified priorities for reducing medication errors in cancer care addressed various aspects of cancer treatment. Our findings open up an opportunity to assess the congruence between health care professional suggestions, currently implemented patient safety policies and evidence base. PMID:28685047

How Can Medical Students Add Value? Identifying Roles, Barriers, and Strategies to Advance the Value of Undergraduate Medical Education to Patient Care and the Health System.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalo, Jed D; Dekhtyar, Michael; Hawkins, Richard E; Wolpaw, Daniel R

2017-09-01

As health systems evolve, the education community is seeking to reimagine student roles that combine learning with meaningful contributions to patient care. The authors sought to identify potential stakeholders regarding the value of student work, and roles and tasks students could perform to add value to the health system, including key barriers and associated strategies to promote value-added roles in undergraduate medical education. In 2016, 32 U.S. medical schools in the American Medical Association's (AMA's) Accelerating Change in Education Consortium met for a two-day national meeting to explore value-added medical education; 121 educators, systems leaders, clinical mentors, AMA staff leadership and advisory board members, and medical students were included. A thematic qualitative analysis of workshop discussions and written responses was performed, which extracted key themes. In current clinical roles, students can enhance value by performing detailed patient histories to identify social determinants of health and care barriers, providing evidence-based medicine contributions at the point-of-care, and undertaking health system research projects. Novel value-added roles include students serving as patient navigators/health coaches, care transition facilitators, population health managers, and quality improvement team extenders. Six priority areas for advancing value-added roles are student engagement, skills, and assessments; balance of service versus learning; resources, logistics, and supervision; productivity/billing pressures; current health systems design and culture; and faculty factors. These findings provide a starting point for collaborative work to positively impact clinical care and medical education through the enhanced integration of value-added medical student roles into care delivery systems.

Socio-economic disadvantage, quality of medical care and admission for acute severe asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolbe, J; Vamos, M; Fergusson, W

1997-06-01

In asthma, socio-economic and health care factors may operate by a number of mechanisms to influence asthma morbidity and mortality. To determine the quality of medical care including the patient perception of the doctor-patient relationship, and the level of socio-economic disadvantage in patients admitted to hospital with acute severe asthma. One hundred and thirty-eight patients (15-50 years) admitted to hospital (general ward or intensive care unit) with acute asthma were prospectively assessed using a number of previously validated instruments. The initial subjects had severe asthma on admission (pH = 7.3 +/- 0.2, PaCO2 = 7.1 +/- 5.0 kPa, n = 90) but short hospital stay (3.7 +/- 2.6 days). Although having high morbidity (40% had hospital admission in the last year and 60% had moderate/severe interference with sleep and/or ability to exercise), they had indicators of good ongoing medical care (96% had a regular GP, 80% were prescribed inhaled steroids, 84% had a peak flow meter, GP measured peak flow routinely in 80%, 52% had a written crisis plan and 44% had a supply of steroids at home). However, they were severely economically disadvantaged (53% had experienced financial difficulties in the last year, and for 35% of households the only income was a social security benefit). In the last year 39% had delayed or put off GP visit because of cost. Management of the index attack was compromised by concern about medical costs in 16% and time off work in 20%. Patients admitted to hospital with acute asthma have evidence of good quality on-going medical care, but are economically disadvantaged. If issues such as financial barriers to health care are not acknowledged and addressed, the health care services for asthmatics will not be effectively utilised and the current reductions in morbidity and mortality may not be maintained.

Computerized health information and the demand for medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Todd H; Jimison, Holly B

2003-01-01

Consumer health information, once the domain of books and booklets, has become increasingly digitized and available on the Internet. This study assessed the effect of using computerized health information on consumers' demand for medical care. The dependent variable was self-reported number of visits to the doctor in the past year. The key independent variable was the use of computerized health information, which was treated as endogenous. We tested the effect of using computerized health information on physician visits using ordinary least squares, instrumental variables, fixed effects, and fixed-effects instrumental variables models. The instrumental variables included exposure to the Healthwise Communities Project, a community-wide health information intervention; computer ownership; and Internet access. Random households in three cities were mailed questionnaires before and after the Healthwise Communities Project. In total, 5909 surveys were collected for a response rate of 54%. In both the bivariate and the multivariate analyses, the use of computerized health information was not associated with self-reported entry into care or number of visits. The instrumental variables models also found no differences, with the exception that the probability of entering care was significantly greater with the two-stage conditional logit model (P information is intuitively appealing, we found little evidence of an association between using a computer for health information and self-reported medical visits in the past year. This study used overall self-reported utilizations as the dependent variable, and more research is needed to determine whether health information affects the health production function in other important ways, such as the location of care, the timing of getting care, or the intensity of treatment.

ESHRE guideline: routine psychosocial care in infertility and medically assisted reproduction-a guide for fertility staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Gameiro, S; Boivin, J; Dancet, E; de Klerk, C; Emery, M; Lewis-Jones, C; Thorn, P; Van den Broeck, U; Venetis, C; Verhaak, C M; Wischmann, T; Vermeulen, N

2015-11-01

Based on the best available evidence in the literature, what is the optimal management of routine psychosocial care at infertility and medically assisted reproduction (MAR) clinics? Using the structured methodology of the Manual for the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Guideline Development, 120 recommendations were formulated that answered the 12 key questions on optimal management of routine psychosocial care by all fertility staff. The 2002 ESHRE Guidelines for counselling in infertility has been a reference point for best psychosocial care in infertility for years, but this guideline needed updating and did not focus on routine psychosocial care that can be delivered by all fertility staff. This guideline was produced by a group of experts in the field according to the 12-step process described in the ESHRE Manual for Guideline Development. After scoping the guideline and listing a set of 12 key questions in PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome) format, thorough systematic searches of the literature were conducted; evidence from papers published until April 2014 was collected, evaluated for quality and analysed. A summary of evidence was written in a reply to each of the key questions and used as the basis for recommendations, which were defined by consensus within the guideline development group (GDG). Patient and additional clinical input was collected during the scoping and the review phase of the guideline development. The guideline group, comprising psychologists, two medical doctors, a midwife, a patient representative and a methodological expert, met three times to discuss evidence and reach consensus on the recommendations. 120 recommendations that aim at guiding fertility clinic staff in providing optimal evidence-based routine psychosocial care to patients dealing with infertility and MAR. The guideline is written in two sections. The first section describes patients' preferences regarding the psychosocial

The Value of Electronic Medical Record Implementation in Mental Health Care: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Riahi, Sanaz; Fischler, Ilan; Stuckey, Melanie I; Klassen, Philip E; Chen, John

2017-01-05

Electronic medical records (EMR) have been implemented in many organizations to improve the quality of care. Evidence supporting the value added to a recovery-oriented mental health facility is lacking. The goal of this project was to implement and customize a fully integrated EMR system in a specialized, recovery-oriented mental health care facility. This evaluation examined the outcomes of quality improvement initiatives driven by the EMR to determine the value that the EMR brought to the organization. The setting was a tertiary-level mental health facility in Ontario, Canada. Clinical informatics and decision support worked closely with point-of-care staff to develop workflows and documentation tools in the EMR. The primary initiatives were implementation of modules for closed loop medication administration, collaborative plan of care, clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia, restraint minimization, the infection prevention and control surveillance status board, drug of abuse screening, and business intelligence. Medication and patient scan rates have been greater than 95% since April 2014, mitigating the adverse effects of medication errors. Specifically, between April 2014 and March 2015, only 1 moderately severe and 0 severe adverse drug events occurred. The number of restraint incidents decreased 19.7%, which resulted in cost savings of more than Can $1.4 million (US $1.0 million) over 2 years. Implementation of clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia increased adherence to evidence-based practices, standardizing care across the facility. Improved infection prevention and control surveillance reduced the number of outbreak days from 47 in the year preceding implementation of the status board to 7 days in the year following. Decision support to encourage preferential use of the cost-effective drug of abuse screen when clinically indicated resulted in organizational cost savings. EMR implementation allowed Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health

Fund my treatment!: A call for ethics-focused social science research into the use of crowdfunding for medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Jeremy; Mathers, Annalise; Crooks, Valorie A

2016-11-01

Crowdfunding involves raising money from large groups of individuals, often through the use of websites dedicated to this purpose. Crowdfunding campaigns aimed at raising money to pay for expenses related to receiving medical treatment are receiving increased media attention and there is evidence that medical crowdfunding websites are heavily used. Nonetheless, virtually no scholarly attention has been paid to these medical crowdfunding campaigns and there is no systematic evidence about how widely they are used and for what reasons, and what effects they have on the provision of medical care and individuals' relationships to their health systems. Ethical concerns have been raised in relation to these campaigns, focusing on issues for campaigners and donors such as exposure to fraudulent campaigns, loss of privacy, and fairness in how medical crowdfunding funds are distributed. Medical crowdfunding websites themselves have not been systematically studied, despite their significant influence on how these campaigns are developed and promoted. In this paper, we identify three very broad and pressing ethical questions regarding medical crowdfunding for social scientists to address and offer some preliminary insights into key issues informing future answers to each: Who benefits the most from medical crowdfunding and how does medical crowdfunding affect access to medical care; How does medical crowdfunding affect our understanding of the causes of inadequate access to medical care; and How are campaigner and donor privacy affected by website design? Our observations indicate the need for increased scholarly attention to the ethical and practical effects of medical crowdfunding for campaigners, recipients, donors, and the health system as a whole. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stoicism, the physician, and care of medical outliers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Papadimos Thomas J

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical outliers present a medical, psychological, social, and economic challenge to the physicians who care for them. The determinism of Stoic thought is explored as an intellectual basis for the pursuit of a correct mental attitude that will provide aid and comfort to physicians who care for medical outliers, thus fostering continued physician engagement in their care. Discussion The Stoic topics of good, the preferable, the morally indifferent, living consistently, and appropriate actions are reviewed. Furthermore, Zeno's cardinal virtues of Justice, Temperance, Bravery, and Wisdom are addressed, as are the Stoic passions of fear, lust, mental pain, and mental pleasure. These concepts must be understood by physicians if they are to comprehend and accept the Stoic view as it relates to having the proper attitude when caring for those with long-term and/or costly illnesses. Summary Practicing physicians, especially those that are hospital based, and most assuredly those practicing critical care medicine, will be emotionally challenged by the medical outlier. A Stoic approach to such a social and psychological burden may be of benefit.

Transitions of Care in Medical Education: A Compilation of Effective Teaching Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

McBryde, Meagan; Vandiver, Jeremy W; Onysko, Mary

2016-04-01

Transitioning patients safely from the inpatient environment back to an outpatient environment is an important component of health care, and multidisciplinary cooperation and formal processes are necessary to accomplish this task. This Transitions of Care (TOC) process is constantly being shaped in health care systems to improve patient safety, outcomes, and satisfaction. While there are many models that have been published on methods to improve the TOC process systematically, there is no clear roadmap for educators to teach TOC concepts to providers in training. This article reviews published data to highlight specific methods shown to effectively instill these concepts and values into medical students and residents. Formal, evidence-based, TOC curriculum should be developed within medical schools and residency programs. TOC education should ideally begin early in the education process, and its importance should be reiterated throughout the curriculum longitudinally. Curriculum should have a specific focus on recognition of common causes of hospital readmissions, such as medication errors, lack of adequate follow-up visits, and social/economic barriers. Use of didactic lectures, case-based workshops, role-playing activities, home visits, interprofessional activities, and resident-led quality improvement projects have all be shown to be effective ways to teach TOC concepts.

Facilitating LGBT Medical, Health and Social Care Content in Higher Education Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zowie Davy

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Increasingly, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT health care is becoming an important quality assurance feature of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in Britain. While acknowledging these very positive developments, teaching LGBT curricula content is contingent upon having educators understand the complexity of LGBT lives. The study adopted a qualitative mixed method approach. The study investigated how and in what ways barriers and facilitators of providing LGBT medical, health and social care curricula content figure in the accreditation policies and within undergraduate and postgraduate medical and healthcare teaching. This paper illustrates opposing views about curricula inclusion. The evidence presented suggests that LGBT content teaching is often challenged at various points in its delivery. In this respect, we will focus on a number of resistances that sometimes prevents teachers from engaging with and providing the complexities of LGBT curricula content. These include the lack of collegiate, colleague and student cooperation. By investing some time on these often neglected areas of resistance, the difficulties and good practice met by educators will be explored. This focus will make visible how to support medical, health and social care students become aware and confident in tackling contemporaneous health issues for LGBT patients.

A review of evidence of health benefit from artificial neural networks in medical intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisboa, P J G

2002-01-01

The purpose of this review is to assess the evidence of healthcare benefits involving the application of artificial neural networks to the clinical functions of diagnosis, prognosis and survival analysis, in the medical domains of oncology, critical care and cardiovascular medicine. The primary source of publications is PUBMED listings under Randomised Controlled Trials and Clinical Trials. The rĵle of neural networks is introduced within the context of advances in medical decision support arising from parallel developments in statistics and artificial intelligence. This is followed by a survey of published Randomised Controlled Trials and Clinical Trials, leading to recommendations for good practice in the design and evaluation of neural networks for use in medical intervention.

Medical Science Liaisons in Real-World Evidence Studies: Experience of AstraZeneca Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Suvorov, Nikolay; Karaseva, Vera; Stukalina, Ekaterina; Sanay, Elkhan; Petrakovskaya, Vera; Bulatov, Vladimir

2018-01-01

There is no doubt that real-world evidence studies have the potential to improve and accelerate the development and delivery of safe and cost-effective innovative medicines to patients as well as influence the way we approach health and health care. Real-world evidence studies are a great challenge in terms of development and conduct, so there should be a good collaboration between the study team and clinical sites at all times, resulting eventually in timely and efficient enrollment. Engaging the sites and key external experts as early as possible during feasibility and routine visits, as well as highlighting the science rationale behind AstraZeneca's portfolio at investigator meetings and during medical science liaison (MSL) interactions, can create a positive impact on physician perception of a particular study and prioritization of patient recruitment in such studies. Therefore, we would like to underline the important role of MSLs in the risk-based monitoring setting of real-world evidence studies, with special attention to the studies with complicated patient profiles, tough timelines, and/or seasonal factors. This approach will be used further for other real world evidence projects of AstraZeneca Russia MC to ensure timelines and budget deliverables are met for the generation of high-quality evidence and eventually better health care for all of us.

In Connecticut: improving patient medication management in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Marie; Giuliano, Margherita R; Starkowski, Michael P

2011-04-01

Medications are a cornerstone of the management of most chronic conditions. However, medication discrepancies and medication-related problems-some of which can cause serious harm-are common. Pharmacists have the expertise to identify, resolve, monitor, and prevent these problems. We present findings from a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demonstration project in Connecticut, in which nine pharmacists worked closely with eighty-eight Medicaid patients from July 2009 through May 2010. The pharmacists identified 917 drug therapy problems and resolved nearly 80 [corrected] percent of them after four encounters. The result was an estimated annual saving of $1,123 per patient on medication claims and $472 per patient on medical, hospital, and emergency department expenses-more than enough to pay for the contracted pharmacist services. We recommend that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation support the evaluation of pharmacist-provided medication management services in primary care medical homes, accountable care organizations, and community health and care transition teams, as well as research to explore how to enhance team-based care.

42 CFR 456.243 - Content of medical care evaluation studies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Content of medical care evaluation studies. 456.243 Section 456.243 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Ur Plan: Medical Care Evaluation Studies § 456.243 Content of medical care evaluation studies. Each...

Considering Point-of-Care Electronic Medical Resources in Lieu of Traditional Textbooks for Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, LaDonna S; Wallace, Michelle M; Adams, Courtney R; Kaufman, Michelle L; Snyder, Courtney L

2015-09-01

Selecting resources to support didactic courses is a critical decision, and the advantages and disadvantages must be carefully considered. During clinical rotations, students not only need to possess strong background knowledge but also are expected to be proficient with the same evidence-based POC resources used by clinicians. Students place high value on “real world” learning and therefore may place more value on POC resources that they know practicing clinicians use as compared with medical textbooks. The condensed nature of PA education requires students to develop background knowledge and information literacy skills over a short period. One way to build that knowledge and those skills simultaneously is to use POC resources in lieu of traditional medical textbooks during didactic training. Electronic POC resources offer several advantages over traditional textbooks and should be considered as viable options in PA education.

[The forensic medical aspects of the inappropriate medical care in the modern-day Ukraine].

Science.gov (United States)

Franchuk, V V

2018-01-01

Despite the fact that the ever growing relevance of the problem of the inappropriate medical care was long ago brought to the worldwide attention, it has not been practically addressed in the Ukraine since the country gained independence in 1991. The objective of the present study was to consider the specific features of expert examination of the cases of inappropriate medical care as exemplified by the materials of the legal actions and lawsuits instituted against healthcare specialists violating their occupational duties. The results of forensic medical examination by the local Bureaux of forensic medical expertise concerning the 350 so-called malpractice suits instituted in the Ternopol, Zhitomir, and Chernovtsy regions during the period from 207 to 2016 were available for the analysis. The facts of inadequate and inappropriate medical care were documented in 245 (72.0%) cases. The frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic errors amounted to 29.7% and 26.9% respectively while the improper formulation of the medical documentation was recorded in 21.3% of the cases. The cases of poor organization of the diagnostic and treatment process accounted for 14.6% of the total whereas the improper behaviour of the medical personnel was reported in 7.5% of all the known cases of provision of the healthcare services. It is concluded that in the majority of the cases, the citizens of the modern-day Ukraine receive the inappropriate (insufficient and untimely) medical care. Over 80% of the cases of the inappropriate medical care currently provided in the country can be accounted for by the objective reasons, with each fifths case being due to the violation of professional responsibilities by the healthcare providers.

Evaluating online continuing medical education seminars: evidence for improving clinical practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Weston, Christine M; Sciamanna, Christopher N; Nash, David B

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential for online continuing medical education (CME) seminars to improve quality of care. Primary care physicians (113) participated in a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an online CME series. Physicians were randomized to view either a seminar about type 2 diabetes or a seminar about systolic heart failure. Following the seminar, physicians were presented with 4 clinical vignettes and asked to describe what tests, treatments, counseling, or referrals they would recommend. Physicians who viewed the seminars were significantly more likely to recommend guideline-consistent care to patients in the vignettes. For example, physicians who viewed the diabetes seminar were significantly more likely to order an eye exam for diabetes patients (63%) compared with physicians in the control group (27%). For some guidelines there were no group differences. These results provide early evidence of the effectiveness of online CME programs to improve physician clinical practice.

ESHRE guideline: routine psychosocial care in infertility and medically assisted reproduction-a guide for fertility staffdagger

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gameiro, S.; Boivin, J.; Dancet, E.; Klerk, C. de; Emery, M.; Lewis-Jones, C.; Thorn, P.; Broeck, U. Van den; Venetis, C.; Verhaak, C.M.; Wischmann, T.; Vermeulen, N.

2015-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: Based on the best available evidence in the literature, what is the optimal management of routine psychosocial care at infertility and medically assisted reproduction (MAR) clinics? SUMMARY ANSWER: Using the structured methodology of the Manual for the European Society of Human

A before and after study of medical students' and house staff members' knowledge of ACOVE quality of pharmacologic care standards on an acute care for elders unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Jellinek, Samantha P; Cohen, Victor; Nelson, Marcia; Likourezos, Antonios; Goldman, William; Paris, Barbara

2008-06-01

The Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE) comprehensive set of quality assessment tools for ill older persons is a standard designed to measure overall care delivered to vulnerable elders (ie, those aged > or =65 years) at the level of a health care system or plan. The goal of this research was to quantify the pretest and posttest results of medical students and house staff participating in a pharmacotherapist-led educational intervention that focused on the ACOVE quality of pharmacologic care standards. This was a before and after study assessing the knowledge ofACOVE standards following exposure to an educational intervention led by a pharmacotherapist. It was conducted at the 29-bed Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit of Maimonides Medical Center, a 705-bed, independent teaching hospital located in Brooklyn, New York. Participants included all medical students and house staff completing a rotation on the ACE unit from August 2004 through May 2005 who completed both the pre-and posttests. A pharmacotherapist provided a 1-hour active learning session reviewing the evidence supporting the quality indicators and reviewed case-based questions with the medical students and house staff. Educational interventions also occurred daily through pharmacotherapeutic consultations and during work rounds. Medical students and house staff were administered the same 15-question, patient-specific, case-based, multiple-choice pre-and posttest to assess knowledge of the standards before and after receiving the intervention. A total of 54 medical students and house staff (median age, 28.58 years; 40 men, 14 women) completed the study. Significantly higher median scores were achieved on the multiple-choice test after the intervention than before (median scores, 14/15 [93.3%] vs 12/15 [80.0%], respectively; P = 0.001). A pharmacotherapist-led educational intervention improved the scores of medical students and house staff on a test evaluating knowledge of evidence

Primary Care Physician Perspectives about Antipsychotics and Other Medications for Symptoms of Dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerns, J William; Winter, Jonathan D; Winter, Katherine M; Boyd, Terry; Etz, Rebecca S

2018-01-01

Guidelines, policies, and warnings have been applied to reduce the use of medications for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Because of rare dangerous side effects, antipsychotics have been singled out in these efforts. However, antipsychotics are still prescribed "off label" to hundreds of thousands of seniors residing in nursing homes and communities. Our objective was to evaluate how and why primary-care physicians (PCPs) employ nonpharmacologic strategies and drugs for BPSD. Semi-structured interviews analyzed via template, immersion and crystallization, and thematic development of 26 PCPs (16 family practice, 10 general internal medicine) in full time primary-care practice for at least 3 years in Northwestern Virginia. PCPs described 4 major themes regarding BPSD management: (1) nonpharmacologic methods have substantial barriers; (2) medication use is not constrained by those barriers and is perceived as easy, efficacious, reasonably safe, and appropriate; (3) pharmacologic policies decrease the use of targeted medications, including antipsychotics, but also have unintended consequences such as increased use of alternative risky medications; and (4) PCPs need practical evidence-based guidelines for all aspects of BPSD management. PCPs continue to prescribe medications because they meet patient-oriented goals and because PCPs perceive drugs, including antipsychotics and their alternatives, to be more effective and less dangerous than evidence suggests. To optimally treat BPSD, PCPs need supportive verified prescribing guidelines and access to nonpharmacologic modalities that are as affordable, available, and efficacious as drugs; these require and deserve significant additional research and payer support. Community PCPs should be included in BPSD policy and guideline development. © Copyright 2018 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

2001 survey on primary medical care in Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Emmanuel, S C; Phua, H P; Cheong, P Y

2004-05-01

The 2001 survey on primary medical care was undertaken to compare updated primary healthcare practices such as workload and working hours in the public and private sectors; determine private and public sector market shares in primary medical care provision; and gather the biographical profile and morbidity profile of patients seeking primary medical care from both sectors in Singapore. This is the third survey in its series, the earlier two having been carried out in 1988 and 1993, respectively. The survey questionnaire was sent out to all the 1480 family doctors in private primary health outpatient practice, the 89 community-based paediatricians in the private sector who were registered with the Singapore Medical Council and also to all 152 family doctors working in the public sector primary medical care clinics. The latter comprised the polyclinics under the two health clusters in Singapore, namely the Singapore Health Services and National Healthcare Group, and to a very much smaller extent, the School Health Service's (SHS) outpatient clinics. The survey was conducted on 21 August 2001, and repeated on 25 September 2001 to enable those who had not responded to the original survey date to participate. Subjects consisted of all outpatients who sought treatment at the private family practice clinics (including the clinics of the community-based paediatricians), and the public sector primary medical care clinics, on the survey day. The response rate from the family doctors in private practice was 36 percent. Owing to the structured administrative organisation of the polyclinics and SHS outpatient clinics, all returns were completed and submitted to the respective headquarters. Response from the community-based paediatricians was poor, so their findings were omitted in the survey analysis. The survey showed that the average daily patient-load of a family doctor in private practice was 33 patients per day, which was lower than the 40 patients a day recorded in 1993

32 CFR 564.40 - Procedures for obtaining medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... care. (a) When a member of the ARNG incurs a disease or an injury, while performing training duty under... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Procedures for obtaining medical care. 564.40... benefits. (b) Authorization for care in civilian facility. (1) An individual who desires medical or dental...

PALLIATIVE CARE AND MEDICAL COMMUNICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Anca COLIBABA

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This article outlines learners’ difficulty in acquiring and practicing palliative medical skills necessary in medical procedures due to limited technologically state-of-the art language learning support to facilitate optimum access for medical students to the European medicine sector and offers as a potential solution the Palliative Care MOOC project (2014-1-RO01-KA203-002940. The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program and coordinated by the Gr.T.Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, Romania. The article describes the project idea and main objectives, highlighting its focus and activities on developing innovative guidelines on standardized fundamental medical procedures, as well as clinical language and communication skills. The project thus helps not only medical lecturers and language teachers who teach medical students, but also the medical students themselves and the lay people involved in causalities.

Medical care at mass gatherings: emergency medical services at large-scale rave events.

Science.gov (United States)

Krul, Jan; Sanou, Björn; Swart, Eleonara L; Girbes, Armand R J

2012-02-01

The objective of this study was to develop comprehensive guidelines for medical care during mass gatherings based on the experience of providing medical support during rave parties. Study design was a prospective, observational study of self-referred patients who reported to First Aid Stations (FASs) during Dutch rave parties. All users of medical care were registered on an existing standard questionnaire. Health problems were categorized as medical, trauma, psychological, or miscellaneous. Severity was assessed based on the Emergency Severity Index. Qualified nurses, paramedics, and doctors conducted the study after training in the use of the study questionnaire. Total number of visitors was reported by type of event. During the 2006-2010 study period, 7,089 persons presented to FASs for medical aid during rave parties. Most of the problems (91.1%) were categorized as medical or trauma, and classified as mild. The most common medical complaints were general unwell-being, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. Contusions, strains and sprains, wounds, lacerations, and blisters were the most common traumas. A small portion (2.4%) of the emergency aid was classified as moderate (professional medical care required), including two cases (0.03%) that were considered life-threatening. Hospital admission occurred in 2.2% of the patients. Fewer than half of all patients presenting for aid were transported by ambulance. More than a quarter of all cases (27.4%) were related to recreational drugs. During a five-year field research period at rave dance parties, most presentations on-site for medical evaluation were for mild conditions. A medical team of six healthcare workers for every 10,000 rave party visitors is recommended. On-site medical staff should consist primarily of first aid providers, along with nurses who have event-specific training on advanced life support, event-specific injuries and incidents, health education related to self-care deficits, interventions for

[Evidence based medicine. A new paradigm for medical practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Carneiro, A V

1998-01-01

Modern medical practice is an ever-changing process, and the doctor's need for information has been partially met by continuous medical education (CME) activities. It has been shown that CME activities have not prevented clinical knowledge, as well as medical practice, from deteriorating with time. When faced with the need to get the most recent and relevant information possible, the busy clinician has two major problems: most of the published medical literature is either irrelevant or not useful; and there is little time to read it. Evidence-based medicine constitutes a new paradigm for medical practice in the sense that it tries to transform clinical problems into well formulated clinical questions, selecting and critically appraising scientific evidence with predefined and rigorous rules. It combines the expertise of the individual clinician with the best external evidence from clinical research for rational, ethical and efficacious practice. Evidence-based medicine can be taught and practiced by physicians with different degrees of autonomy, with several subspecialties, working in the hospital or in outpatient clinics, alone or in groups.

Medical liability and health care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Leonard J; Morrisey, Michael A; Becker, David J

2011-01-01

We examine the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on medical liability and the controversy over whether federal medical reform including a damages cap could make a useful contribution to health care reform. By providing guaranteed access to health care insurance at community rates, the ACA could reduce the problem of under-compensation resulting from damages caps. However, it may also exacerbate the problem of under-claiming in the malpractice system, thereby reducing incentives to invest in loss prevention activities. Shifting losses from liability insurers to health insurers could further undermine the already weak deterrent effect of the medical liability system. Republicans in Congress and physician groups both pushed for the adoption of a federal damages cap as part of health care reform. Physician support for damages caps could be explained by concerns about the insurance cycle and the consequent instability of the market. Our own study presented here suggests that there is greater insurance market stability in states with caps on non-economic damages. Republicans in Congress argued that the enactment of damages caps would reduce aggregate health care costs. The Congressional Budget Office included savings from reduced health care utilization in its estimates of cost savings that would result from the enactment of a federal damages cap. But notwithstanding recent opinions offered by the CBO, it is not clear that caps will significantly reduce health care costs or that any savings will be passed on to consumers. The ACA included funding for state level demonstration projects for promising reforms such as offer and disclosure and health courts, but at this time the benefits of these reforms are also uncertain. There is a need for further studies on these issues.

Integrating advanced practice providers into medical critical care teams.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Christine; O'Rourke, Nancy C; Madison, J Mark

2013-03-01

Because there is increasing demand for critical care providers in the United States, many medical ICUs for adults have begun to integrate nurse practitioners and physician assistants into their medical teams. Studies suggest that such advanced practice providers (APPs), when appropriately trained in acute care, can be highly effective in helping to deliver high-quality medical critical care and can be important elements of teams with multiple providers, including those with medical house staff. One aspect of building an integrated team is a practice model that features appropriate coding and billing of services by all providers. Therefore, it is important to understand an APP's scope of practice, when they are qualified for reimbursement, and how they may appropriately coordinate coding and billing with other team providers. In particular, understanding when and how to appropriately code for critical care services (Current Procedural Terminology [CPT] code 99291, critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient, first 30-74 min; CPT code 99292, critical care, each additional 30 min) and procedures is vital for creating a sustainable program. Because APPs will likely play a growing role in medical critical care units in the future, more studies are needed to compare different practice models and to determine the best way to deploy this talent in specific ICU settings.

Evidence for the perioperative care of mastectomized women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carla Monique Lopes Mourão

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the evidence available in the literature about the perioperative care provided to women submitted to mastectomy. An integrative review of scientific literature conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, LILACS, and SciELO databases, published from 2000 to 2011, using the controlled descriptors: preoperative care; preoperative period; intraoperative care; intraoperative period; postoperative care; postoperative period; perioperative care; perioperative period; and mastectomy. The sample of this review consisted of seven articles. The evidence pointed as perioperative care of mastectomy the pharmacological management of pain in different surgical periods. Despite the difficulty in presenting a consensus of evidence for perioperative care of mastectomy, there was concern on the part of professionals to minimize/prevent pre-, intra- and post-operative pain. Nursing should be aware, both of the update of pharmacological treatments in pain management and the development of future research related to nursing care in the perioperative period of mastectomy.

[Looking for evidence-based medical informatics].

Science.gov (United States)

Coiera, Enrico

2016-03-01

e-Health is experiencing a difficult time. On the one side, the forecast is for a bright digital health future created by precision medicine and smart devices. On the other hand, most large scale e-health projects struggle to make a difference and are often controversial. Both futures fail because they are not evidence-based. Medical informatics should follow the example of evidence-based medicine, i.e. conduct rigorous research that gives us evidence to solve real world problems, synthesise that evidence and then apply it strictly. We already have the tools for creating a different universe. What we need is evidence, will, a culture of learning, and hard work.

Incidence and nature of medication errors in neonatal intensive care with strategies to improve safety - A review of the current literature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chedoe, Indra; Molendijk, Harry A.; Dittrich, Suzanne T. A. M.; Jansman, Frank G. A.; Harting, Johannes W.; Brouwers, Jacobus R. B. J.; Taxis, Katja

2007-01-01

Neonates are highly vulnerable to medication errors because of their extensive exposure to medications in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the general lack of evidence on pharmacotherapeutic interventions in neonates and the lack of neonate-specific formulations. We searched PubMed and

The Effect of Medical Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on Foster Care Caseloads: Evidence from Danish Registry Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fallesen, Peter; Wildeman, Christopher

Since the early 2000s, foster care caseloads have decreased in many wealthy democracies, yet the causes of these declines remain, for the most part, a mystery. This paper uses administrative data from one country that experienced a sharp decline in foster care caseloads, Denmark, to show that inc...... rate all shape foster care caseloads, future research should be attentive to how medical treatment aimed at addressing children’s acute behavioral problems could also have a powerful effect on foster care caseloads....

Health insurance and the demand for medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

de Meza, D

1983-03-01

With rare exceptions the provision of actuarially fair health insurance tends to substantially increase the demand for medical care by redistributing income from the healthy to the sick. This suggests that previous studies which attribute all the extra demand for medical care to moral hazard effects may overestimate the efficiency costs of health insurance.

U.S. academic medical centers under the managed health care environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, K

1999-06-01

This research investigates the impact of managed health care on academic medical centers in the United States. Academic medical centers hold a unique position in the U.S. health care system through their missions of conducting cutting-edge biomedical research, pursuing clinical and technological innovations, providing state-of-the-art medical care and producing highly qualified health professionals. However, policies to control costs through the use of managed care and limiting resources are detrimental to academic medical centers and impede the advancement of medical science. To survive the threats of managed care in the health care environment, academic medical centers must rely on their upper level managers to derive successful strategies. The methods used in this study include qualitative approaches in the form of key informants and case studies. In addition, a survey questionnaire was sent to 108 CEOs in all the academic medical centers in the U.S. The findings revealed that managers who perform the liaison, monitor, entrepreneur and resource allocator roles are crucial to ensure the survival of academic medical centers, so that academic medical centers can continue their missions to serve the general public and promote their well-being.

Scoping review protocol: education initiatives for medical psychiatry collaborative care.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Nelson; Sockalingam, Sanjeev; Abi Jaoude, Alexxa; Bailey, Sharon M; Bernier, Thérèse; Freeland, Alison; Hawa, Aceel; Hollenberg, Elisa; Woldemichael, Bethel; Wiljer, David

2017-09-03

The collaborative care model is an approach providing care to those with mental health and addictions disorders in the primary care setting. There is a robust evidence base demonstrating its clinical and cost-effectiveness in comparison with usual care; however, the transitioning to this new paradigm of care has been difficult. While there are efforts to train and prepare healthcare professionals, not much is known about the current state of collaborative care training programmes. The objective of this scoping review is to understand how widespread these collaborative care education initiatives are, how they are implemented and their impacts. The scoping review methodology uses the established review methodology by Arksey and O'Malley. The search strategy was developed by a medical librarian and will be applied in eight different databases spanning multiple disciplines. A two-stage screening process consisting of a title and abstract scan and a full-text review will be used to determine the eligibility of articles. To be included, articles must report on an existing collaborative care education initiative for healthcare providers. All articles will be independently assessed for eligibility by pairs of reviewers, and all eligible articles will be abstracted and charted in duplicate using a standardised form. The extracted data will undergo a 'narrative review' or a descriptive analysis of the contextual or process-oriented data and simple quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics. Research ethics approval is not required for this scoping review. The results of this scoping review will inform the development of a collaborative care training initiative emerging from the Medical Psychiatry Alliance, a four-institution philanthropic partnership in Ontario, Canada. The results will also be presented at relevant national and international conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in

Effectively marketing prepaid medical care with decision support systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Forgionne, G A

1991-01-01

The paper reports a decision support system (DSS) that enables health plan administrators to quickly and easily: (1) manage relevant medical care market (consumer preference and competitors' program) information and (2) convert the information into appropriate medical care delivery and/or payment policies. As the paper demonstrates, the DSS enables providers to design cost efficient and market effective medical care programs. The DSS provides knowledge about subscriber preferences, customer desires, and the program offerings of the competition. It then helps administrators structure a medical care plan in a way that best meets consumer needs in view of the competition. This market effective plan has the potential to generate substantial amounts of additional revenue for the program. Since the system's data base consists mainly of the provider's records, routine transactions, and other readily available documents, the DSS can be implemented at a nominal incremental cost. The paper also evaluates the impact of the information system on the general financial performance of existing dental and mental health plans. In addition, the paper examines how the system can help contain the cost of providing medical care while providing better services to more potential beneficiaries than current approaches.

Alcoholism treatment and medical care costs from Project MATCH.

Science.gov (United States)

Holder, H D; Cisler, R A; Longabaugh, R; Stout, R L; Treno, A J; Zweben, A

2000-07-01

This paper examines the costs of medical care prior to and following initiation of alcoholism treatment as part of a study of patient matching to treatment modality. Longitudinal study with pre- and post-treatment initiation. The total medical care costs for inpatient and outpatient treatment for patients participating over a span of 3 years post-treatment. Three treatment sites at two of the nine Project MATCH locations (Milwaukee, WI and Providence, RI). Two hundred and seventy-nine patients. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment modalities: a 12-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a four-session motivational enhancement therapy (MET) or a 12-session Twelve-Step facilitation (TSF) treatment over 12 weeks. Total medical care costs declined from pre- to post-treatment overall and for each modality. Matching effects independent of clinical prognosis showed that MET has potential for medical-care cost-savings. However, patients with poor prognostic characteristics (alcohol dependence, psychiatric severity and/or social network support for drinking) have better cost-savings potential with CBT and/or TSF. Matching variables have significant importance in increasing the potential for medical-care cost-reductions following alcoholism treatment.

Nutritional care of medical inpatients: a health technology assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kruse Filip

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The inspiration for the present assessment of the nutritional care of medical patients is puzzlement about the divide that exists between the theoretical knowledge about the importance of the diet for ill persons, and the common failure to incorporate nutritional aspects in the treatment and care of the patients. The purpose is to clarify existing problems in the nutritional care of Danish medical inpatients, to elucidate how the nutritional care for these inpatients can be improved, and to analyse the costs of this improvement. Methods Qualitative and quantitative methods are deployed to outline how nutritional care of medical inpatients is performed at three Danish hospitals. The practices observed are compared with official recommendations for nutritional care of inpatients. Factors extraneous and counterproductive to optimal nutritional care are identified from the perspectives of patients and professional staff. A review of the literature illustrates the potential for optimal nutritional care. A health economic analysis is performed to elucidate the savings potential of improved nutritional care. Results The prospects for improvements in nutritional care are ameliorated if hospital management clearly identifies nutritional care as a priority area, and enjoys access to management tools for quality assurance. The prospects are also improved if a committed professional at the ward has the necessary time resources to perform nutritional care in practice, and if the care staff can requisition patient meals rich in nutrients 24 hours a day. At the kitchen production level prospects benefit from a facilitator contact between care and kitchen staff, and if the kitchen staff controls the whole food path from the kitchen to the patient. At the patient level, prospects are improved if patients receive information about the choice of food and drink, and have a better nutrition dialogue with the care staff. Better nutritional care of

The current and future role of the medical oncologist in the professional care for cancer patients: a position paper by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, R A; Schäfer, R; Califano, R; Eckert, R; Coleman, R; Douillard, J-Y; Cervantes, A; Casali, P G; Sessa, C; Van Cutsem, E; de Vries, E; Pavlidis, N; Fumasoli, K; Wörmann, B; Samonigg, H; Cascinu, S; Cruz Hernández, J J; Howard, A J; Ciardiello, F; Stahel, R A; Piccart, M

2014-01-01

The number of cancer patients in Europe is rising and significant advances in basic and applied cancer research are making the provision of optimal care more challenging. The concept of cancer as a systemic, highly heterogeneous and complex disease has increased the awareness that quality cancer care should be provided by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of highly qualified healthcare professionals. Cancer patients also have the right to benefit from medical progress by receiving optimal treatment from adequately trained and highly skilled medical professionals. Built on the highest standards of professional training and continuing medical education, medical oncology is recognised as an independent medical specialty in many European countries. Medical oncology is a core member of the MDT and offers cancer patients a comprehensive and systemic approach to treatment and care, while ensuring evidence-based, safe and cost-effective use of cancer drugs and preserving the quality of life of cancer patients through the entire 'cancer journey'. Medical oncologists are also engaged in clinical and translational research to promote innovation and new therapies and they contribute to cancer diagnosis, prevention and research, making a difference for patients in a dynamic, stimulating professional environment. Medical oncologists play an important role in shaping the future of healthcare through innovation and are also actively involved at the political level to ensure a maximum contribution of the profession to Society and to tackle future challenges. This position paper summarises the multifarious and vital contributions of medical oncology and medical oncologists to today's and tomorrow's professional cancer care.

Mental health care roles of non-medical primary health and social care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Penny

2009-02-01

Changes in patterns of delivery of mental health care over several decades are putting pressure on primary health and social care services to increase their involvement. Mental health policy in countries like the UK, Australia and New Zealand recognises the need for these services to make a greater contribution and calls for increased intersectoral collaboration. In Australia, most investment to date has focused on the development and integration of specialist mental health services and primary medical care, and evaluation research suggests some progress. Substantial inadequacies remain, however, in the comprehensiveness and continuity of care received by people affected by mental health problems, particularly in relation to social and psychosocial interventions. Very little research has examined the nature of the roles that non-medical primary health and social care services actually or potentially play in mental health care. Lack of information about these roles could have inhibited development of service improvement initiatives targeting these services. The present paper reports the results of an exploratory study that examined the mental health care roles of 41 diverse non-medical primary health and social care services in the state of Victoria, Australia. Data were collected in 2004 using a purposive sampling strategy. A novel method of surveying providers was employed whereby respondents within each agency worked as a group to complete a structured survey that collected quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. This paper reports results of quantitative analyses including a tentative principal components analysis that examined the structure of roles. Non-medical primary health and social care services are currently performing a wide variety of mental health care roles and they aspire to increase their involvement in this work. However, these providers do not favour approaches involving selective targeting of clients with mental disorders.

Adolf Hitler's medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, D

2005-02-01

For the last nine years of his life Adolf Hitler, a lifelong hypochondriac had as his physician Dr Theodor Morell. Hitler's mood swings, Parkinson's disease, gastro-intestinal symptoms, skin problems and steady decline until his suicide in 1945 are documented by reliable observers and historians, and in Morell's diaries. The bizarre and unorthodox medications given to Hitler, often for undisclosed reasons, include topical cocaine, injected amphetamines, glucose, testosterone, estradiol, and corticosteroids. In addition, he was given a preparation made from a gun cleaner, a compound of strychnine and atropine, an extract of seminal vesicles, and numerous vitamins and 'tonics'. It seems possible that some of Hitler's behaviour, illnesses and suffering can be attributed to his medical care. Whether he blindly accepted such unorthodox medications or demanded them is unclear.

Specialist medication review does not benefit short-term outcomes and net costs in continuing-care patients.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Pope, George

2012-01-31

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate specialist geriatric input and medication review in patients in high-dependency continuing care. DESIGN: prospective, randomised, controlled trial. SETTING: two residential continuing care hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: two hundred and twenty-five permanent patients. INTERVENTION: patients were randomised to either specialist geriatric input or regular input. The specialist group had a medical assessment by a geriatrician and medication review by a multidisciplinary expert panel. Regular input consisted of review as required by a medical officer attached to each ward. Reassessment occurred after 6 months. RESULTS: one hundred and ten patients were randomised to specialist input and 115 to regular input. These were comparable for age, gender, dependency levels and cognition. After 6 months, the total number of medications per patient per day fell from 11.64 to 11.09 in the specialist group (P = 0.0364) and increased from 11.07 to 11.5 in the regular group (P = 0.094). There was no significant difference in mortality or frequency of acute hospital transfers (11 versus 6 in the specialist versus regular group, P = 0.213). CONCLUSION: specialist geriatric assessment and medication review in hospital continuing care resulted in a reduction in medication use, but at a significant cost. No benefits in hard clinical outcomes were demonstrated. However, qualitative benefits and lower costs may become evident over longer periods.

Population Health and Tailored Medical Care in the Home: the Roles of Home-Based Primary Care and Home-Based Palliative Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchie, Christine S; Leff, Bruce

2018-03-01

With the growth of value-based care, payers and health systems have begun to appreciate the need to provide enhanced services to homebound adults. Recent studies have shown that home-based medical services for this high-cost, high-need population reduce costs and improve outcomes. Home-based medical care services have two flavors that are related to historical context and specialty background-home-based primary care (HBPC) and home-based palliative care (HBPalC). Although the type of services provided by HBPC and HBPalC (together termed "home-based medical care") overlap, HBPC tends to encompass longitudinal and preventive care, while HBPalC often provides services for shorter durations focused more on distress management and goals of care clarification. Given workforce constraints and growing demand, both HBPC and HBPalC will benefit from working together within a population health framework-where HBPC provides care to all patients who have trouble accessing traditional office practices and where HBPalC offers adjunctive care to patients with high symptom burden and those who need assistance with goals clarification. Policy changes that support provision of medical care in the home, population health strategies that tailor home-based medical care to the specific needs of the patients and their caregivers, and educational initiatives to assure basic palliative care competence for all home-based medical providers will improve access and reduce illness burden to this important and underrecognized population. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Making reasonable decisions: a qualitative study of medical decision making in the care of patients with a clinically significant haemoglobin disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowther, Helen J; Kerridge, Ian

2015-10-01

Therapies utilized in patients with clinically significant haemoglobin disorders appear to vary between clinicians and units. This study aimed to investigate the processes of evidence implementation and medical decision making in the care of such patients in NSW, Australia. Using semi-structured interviews, 11 haematologists discussed their medical decision-making processes with particular attention paid to the use of published evidence. Transcripts were thematically analysed by a single investigator on a line-by-line basis. Decision making surrounding the care of patients with significant haemoglobin disorders varied and was deeply contextual. Three main determinants of clinical decision making were identified - factors relating to the patient and to their illness, factors specific to the clinician and the institution in which they were practising and factors related to the notion of evidence and to utility and role of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice. Clinicians pay considerable attention to medical decision making and evidence incorporation and attempt to tailor these to particular patient contexts. However, the patient context is often inferred and when discordant with the clinician's own contexture can lead to discomfort with decision recommendations. Clinicians strive to improve comfort through the use of experience and trustworthy evidence. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Information provision in medical libraries: An evidence based ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper examined information provision in special libraries such as medical libraries. It provides an overview of evidence based practice as a concept for information provision by librarians. It specifically proffers meaning to the term evidence as used in evidence based practice and to evidence based medicine from where ...

Trends in medical care cost--revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincenzino, J V

1997-01-01

Market forces have had a greater influence on the health care sector than anticipated. The increased use of managed care, particularly HMOs, has been largely responsible for a sharp deceleration in the rise of medical care costs. After recording double-digit growth for much of the post-Medicare/Medicaid period, national health expenditures rose just 5.1 percent and 5.5 percent in 1994 and 1995, respectively. The medical care Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.5 percent in 1996-just 0.5 percent above the overall CPI. The delivery and financing of health care continues to evolve within a framework of cost constraints. As such, mergers, acquisitions and provider alliance groups will remain an integral part of the health industry landscape. However, cost savings are likely to become more difficult to achieve, especially if the "quality of care" issue becomes more pronounced. National health expenditures, which surpassed the $1 trillion mark in 1996, are projected to rise to $1.4 trillion by the year 2000--representing a 7.2 percent growth rate from 1995. In any event, demographics and technological advances suggest that the health sector will demand a rising share of economic resources. The ratio of health care expenditures to gross domestic product is forecast to rise from 13.6 percent in 1995 to 15 percent by the year 2000.

Factor analysis methods and validity evidence: A systematic review of instrument development across the continuum of medical education

Science.gov (United States)

Wetzel, Angela Payne

Previous systematic reviews indicate a lack of reporting of reliability and validity evidence in subsets of the medical education literature. Psychology and general education reviews of factor analysis also indicate gaps between current and best practices; yet, a comprehensive review of exploratory factor analysis in instrument development across the continuum of medical education had not been previously identified. Therefore, the purpose for this study was critical review of instrument development articles employing exploratory factor or principal component analysis published in medical education (2006--2010) to describe and assess the reporting of methods and validity evidence based on the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and factor analysis best practices. Data extraction of 64 articles measuring a variety of constructs that have been published throughout the peer-reviewed medical education literature indicate significant errors in the translation of exploratory factor analysis best practices to current practice. Further, techniques for establishing validity evidence tend to derive from a limited scope of methods including reliability statistics to support internal structure and support for test content. Instruments reviewed for this study lacked supporting evidence based on relationships with other variables and response process, and evidence based on consequences of testing was not evident. Findings suggest a need for further professional development within the medical education researcher community related to (1) appropriate factor analysis methodology and reporting and (2) the importance of pursuing multiple sources of reliability and validity evidence to construct a well-supported argument for the inferences made from the instrument. Medical education researchers and educators should be cautious in adopting instruments from the literature and carefully review available evidence. Finally, editors and reviewers are encouraged to recognize

[The characteristics of medical technologies in emergency medical care hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

Murakhovskiĭ, A G; Babenko, A I; Bravve, Iu I; Tataurova, E A

2013-01-01

The article analyzes the implementation of major 12 diagnostic and 17 treatment technologies applied during medical care of patients with 12 key nosology forms of diseases in departments of the emergency medical care hospital No 2 of Omsk. It is established that key groups of technologies in the implementation of diagnostic process are the laboratory clinical diagnostic analyses and common diagnostic activities at reception into hospital and corresponding departments. The percentage of this kind of activities is about 78.3% of all diagnostic technologies. During the realization of treatment process the priority technologies are common curative and rehabilitation activities, intensive therapy activities and clinical diagnostic monitoring activities. All of them consist 80.1% of all curative technologies.

Factors influencing a nurse's decision to question medication administration in a neonatal clinical care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydon, Laurene; Hauck, Yvonne; Zimmer, Margo; Murdoch, Jamee

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence nurse's decisions to question concerning aspects of medication administration within the context of a neonatal clinical care unit. Medication error in the neonatal setting can be high with this particularly vulnerable population. As the care giver responsible for medication administration, nurses are deemed accountable for most errors. However, they are recognised as the forefront of prevention. Minimal evidence is available around reasoning, decision making and questioning around medication administration. Therefore, this study focuses upon addressing the gap in knowledge around what nurses believe influences their decision to question. A critical incident design was employed where nurses were asked to describe clinical incidents around their decision to question a medication issue. Nurses were recruited from a neonatal clinical care unit and participated in an individual digitally recorded interview. One hundred and three nurses participated between December 2013-August 2014. Use of the constant comparative method revealed commonalities within transcripts. Thirty-six categories were grouped into three major themes: 'Working environment', 'Doing the right thing' and 'Knowledge about medications'. Findings highlight factors that influence nurses' decision to question issues around medication administration. Nurses feel it is their responsibility to do the right thing and speak up for their vulnerable patients to enhance patient safety. Negative dimensions within the themes will inform planning of educational strategies to improve patient safety, whereas positive dimensions must be reinforced within the multidisciplinary team. The working environment must support nurses to question and ultimately provide safe patient care. Clear and up to date policies, formal and informal education, role modelling by senior nurses, effective use of communication skills and a team approach can facilitate nurses to

Evidence-Based Practice Standard Care for Acute Pain Management in Adults With Sickle Cell Disease in an Urgent Care Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sunghee; Brathwaite, Ron; Kim, Ook

Vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs) with sickle cell disease (SCD) require opioid treatment. Despite evidence to support rapid pain management within 30 minutes, care for these patients does not consistently meet this benchmark. This quality improvement study sought to decrease the first analgesic administration time, increase patient satisfaction, and expedite patient flow. A prospective pre-/postevaluation design was used to evaluate outcomes with patients 18 years or older with VOEs in an urgent care (UC) center after implementation of evidence-based practice standard care (EBPSC). A pre- and postevaluation survey of SCD patients' satisfaction with care and analogous surveys of the UC team to assess awareness of EBPSC were used. A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of patients with VOEs compared mean waiting time from triage to the first analgesic administration and the mean length of stay (LOS) over 6 months. Implementing EBPSC decreased the mean time of the first analgesic administration (P = .001), significantly increased patient satisfaction (P = .002), and decreased the mean LOS (P = .010). Implementing EBPSC is a crucial step for improving the management of VOEs and creating a positive patient experience. The intervention enhances the quality of care for the SCD population in a UC center.

Improving the Quality of Home Health Care for Children With Medical Complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nageswaran, Savithri; Golden, Shannon L

2017-08-01

The objectives of this study are to describe the quality of home health care services for children with medical complexity, identify barriers to delivering optimal home health care, and discuss potential solutions to improve home health care delivery. In this qualitative study, we conducted 20 semistructured in-depth interviews with primary caregivers of children with medical complexity, and 4 focus groups with 18 home health nurses. During an iterative analysis process, we identified themes related to quality of home health care. There is substantial variability between home health nurses in the delivery of home health care to children. Lack of skills in nurses is common and has serious negative health consequences for children with medical complexity, including hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and need for medical procedures. Inadequate home health care also contributes to caregiver burden. A major barrier to delivering optimal home health care is the lack of training of home health nurses in pediatric care and technology use. Potential solutions for improving care include home health agencies training nurses in the care of children with medical complexity, support for nurses in clinical problem solving, and reimbursement for training nurses in pediatric home care. Caregiver-level interventions includes preparation of caregivers about: providing medical care for their children at home and addressing problems with home health care services. There are problems in the quality of home health care delivered to children with medical complexity. Training nurses in the care of children with medical complexity and preparing caregivers about home care could improve home health care quality. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MEDIC: medical embedded device for individualized care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Winston H; Bui, Alex A T; Batalin, Maxim A; Au, Lawrence K; Binney, Jonathan D; Kaiser, William J

2008-02-01

Presented work highlights the development and initial validation of a medical embedded device for individualized care (MEDIC), which is based on a novel software architecture, enabling sensor management and disease prediction capabilities, and commercially available microelectronic components, sensors and conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) (or a cell phone). In this paper, we present a general architecture for a wearable sensor system that can be customized to an individual patient's needs. This architecture is based on embedded artificial intelligence that permits autonomous operation, sensor management and inference, and may be applied to a general purpose wearable medical diagnostics. A prototype of the system has been developed based on a standard PDA and wireless sensor nodes equipped with commercially available Bluetooth radio components, permitting real-time streaming of high-bandwidth data from various physiological and contextual sensors. We also present the results of abnormal gait diagnosis using the complete system from our evaluation, and illustrate how the wearable system and its operation can be remotely configured and managed by either enterprise systems or medical personnel at centralized locations. By using commercially available hardware components and software architecture presented in this paper, the MEDIC system can be rapidly configured, providing medical researchers with broadband sensor data from remote patients and platform access to best adapt operation for diagnostic operation objectives.

Consumerism: forcing medical practices toward patient-centered care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozmon, Jeff

2007-01-01

Consumerism has been apart of many industries over the years; now consumerism may change the way many medical practices deliver healthcare. With the advent of consumer-driven healthcare, employers are shifting the decision-making power to their employees. Benefits strategies like health savings accounts and high-deductible insurance plans now allow the patients to control how and where they spend their money on medical care. Practices that seek to attract the more affluent and informed consumers are beginning to institute patient-centered systems designs that invite patients to actively participate in their healthcare. This article will outline the changes in the healthcare delivery system facing medical practices, the importance of patient-centered care, and six strategies to implement to change toward more patient-centered care.

Medical marijuana in pediatric oncology: A review of the evidence and implications for practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Ananth, Prasanna; Reed-Weston, Anne; Wolfe, Joanne

2018-02-01

Medical marijuana (MM) has become increasingly legal at the state level and accessible to children with serious illness. Pediatric patients with cancer may be particularly receptive to MM, given purported benefits in managing cancer-related symptoms. In this review, we examine the evidence for MM as a supportive care agent in pediatric oncology. We describe the current legal status of MM, mechanism of action, common formulations, and potential benefits versus risks for pediatric oncology patients. We offer suggestions for how providers might approach MM requests. Throughout, we comment on avenues for future investigation on this growing trend in supportive care. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A simple intervention to reinforce awareness of tanning bed use and skin cancer in non-medical skin care professionals in Southern California.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Angie T; Chang, Anne Lynn S; Cockburn, Myles; Peng, David H

2012-11-01

(i) To assess the baseline knowledge of non-medical skin care professionals (estheticians, cosmetologists, massage therapists) on tanning bed use and its association with melanoma; and (ii) to provide preliminary evidence of the potential impact of a fast and simple educational intervention on tanning beds and melanoma on the awareness of non-medical skin care professionals towards skin cancer prevention. A pre-intervention survey was administered to non-medical skin care professional at salons or spas in Southern California to assess baseline knowledge on tanning and skin cancer. This was followed immediately by a 10-minute oral presentation on tanning bed use and its association with melanoma. One month later, a post-intervention survey was distributed to individuals who attended the initial oral presentation. Significant changes pre- and post-intervention were found in non-medical skin care professionals' answer responses to the following: (i) increased speaking to clients about cancer risk with tanning bed use 42-66% (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.39, 4.30)]; (ii) decreased personal tanning bed use (23-15% [OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.37, 1.00]); and (iii) decreased belief that tanning beds are an excellent cosmetic tool (29-20% [OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.38, 0.96]). This study provides preliminary evidence that non-medical skin care professionals could be an important source of primary prevention information for reducing the burden of melanoma. © 2012 The International Society of Dermatology.

Medical Care Expenditure in Suicides From Non-illness-related Causes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jungwoo Sohn

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Several epidemiological studies on medical care utilization prior to suicide have considered the motivation of suicide, but focused on the influence of physical illnesses. Medical care expenditure in suicide completers with non-illness-related causes has not been investigated. Methods: Suicides motivated by non-illness-related factors were identified using the investigator’s note from the National Police Agency, which was then linked to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment data. We investigated the medical care expenditures of cases one year prior to committing suicide and conducted a case-control study using conditional logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, gender, area of residence, and socioeconomic status. Results: Among the 4515 suicides motivated by non-illness-related causes, medical care expenditures increased in only the last 3 months prior to suicide in the adolescent group. In the younger group, the proportion of total medical expenditure for external injuries was higher than that in the older groups. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed significant associations with being a suicide completer and having a rural residence, low socioeconomic status, and high medical care expenditure. After stratification into the four age groups, a significant positive association with medical care expenditures and being a suicide completer was found in the adolescent and young adult groups, but no significant results were found in the elderly groups for both men and women. Conclusions: Younger adults who committed suicide motivated by non-illness-related causes had a higher proportion of external injuries and more medical care expenditures than their controls did. This reinforces the notion that suicide prevention strategies for young people with suicidal risk factors are needed.

Medication Therapy Management and Preconception Care: Opportunities for Pharmacist Intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie A. DiPietro

2014-01-01

Full Text Available As medication therapy management (MTM continues to grow in the profession of pharmacy, careful consideration as to areas for positive patient impact is warranted. Given the current gaps in preconception care in the United States, and the accessibility and expertise of the pharmacist, MTM interventions related to preconception care may be valuable. This paper describes potential for pharmacist intervention in several different areas of preconception care. Notably, targeted medication reviews may be appropriate for interventions such as folic acid recommendations, teratogenic/category X medication management, immunizations, and disease state management. Comprehensive medication reviews may be warranted for selected disease states due to complexity of interventions, such the management of diabetes. Comprehensive medication reviews may also be warranted if several targeted interventions are necessary, or if there are a several medications or disease states requiring intervention. Pharmacists also have important roles in screening, support, and referrals needed for preconception care in the context of MTM. Patients may benefit substantially from pharmacist-directed MTM services related to preconception care. In addition, depending on clinical pharmacy service contracts and billing opportunities, pharmacists may be reimbursed for providing these services, generating sustainable revenue while fulfilling an important public health need.   Type: Idea Paper

Implementing a Pharmacist-Led Medication Management Pilot to Improve Care Transitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Root, PharmD, MS

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this project was to design and pilot a pharmacist-led process to address medication management across the continuum of care within a large integrated health-system.Summary: A care transitions pilot took place within a health-system which included a 150-bed community hospital. The pilot process expanded the pharmacist’s medication management responsibilities to include providing discharge medication reconciliation, a patient-friendly discharge medication list, discharge medication education, and medication therapy management (MTM follow-up.Adult patients with a predicted diagnosis-related group (DRG of congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admitted to the medical-surgical and intensive care units who utilized a primary care provider within the health-system were included in the pilot. Forty patients met the inclusion criteria and thirty-four (85% received an intervention from an inpatient or MTM pharmacist. Within this group of patients, 88 drug therapy problems (2.6 per patient were identified and 75% of the drug therapy recommendations made by the pharmacist were accepted by the care provider. The 30-day all-cause readmission rates for the intervention and comparison groups were 30.5% and 35.9%, respectively. The number of patients receiving follow-up care varied with 10 (25% receiving MTM follow-up, 26 (65% completing a primary care visit after their first hospital discharge, and 23 (58% receiving a home care visit.Conclusion: Implementation of a pharmacist-led medication management pilot across the continuum of care resulted in an improvement in the quality of care transitions within the health-system through increased identification and resolution of drug therapy problems and MTM follow-up. The lessons learned from the implementation of this pilot will be used to further refine pharmacy care transitions programs across the health-system.

Undergraduate medical students' perceptions, attitudes, and competencies in evidence-based medicine (EBM), and their understanding of EBM reality in Syria.

Science.gov (United States)

Alahdab, Fares; Firwana, Belal; Hasan, Rim; Sonbol, Mohamad Bassam; Fares, Munes; Alnahhas, Iyad; Sabouni, Ammar; Ferwana, Mazen

2012-08-12

Teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) should be evaluated and guided by evidence of its own effectiveness. However, no data are available on adoption of EBM by Syrian undergraduate, postgraduate, or practicing physicians. In fact, the teaching of EBM in Syria is not yet a part of undergraduate medical curricula. The authors evaluated education of evidence-based medicine through a two-day intensive training course. The authors evaluated education of evidence-based medicine through a two-day intensive training course that took place in 2011. The course included didactic lectures as well as interactive hands-on workshops on all topics of EBM. A comprehensive questionnaire, that included the Berlin questionnaire, was used to inspect medical students' awareness of, attitudes toward, and competencies' in EBM. According to students, problems facing proper EBM practice in Syria were the absence of the following: an EBM teaching module in medical school curriculum (94%), role models among professors and instructors (92%), a librarian (70%), institutional subscription to medical journals (94%), and sufficient IT hardware (58%). After the course, there was a statistically significant increase in medical students' perceived ability to go through steps of EBM, namely: formulating PICO questions (56.9%), searching for evidence (39.8%), appraising the evidence (27.3%), understanding statistics (48%), and applying evidence at point of care (34.1%). However, mean increase in Berlin scores after the course was 2.68, a non-statistically significant increase of 17.86%. The road to a better EBM reality in Syria starts with teaching EBM in medical school and developing the proper environment to facilitate transforming current medical education and practice to an evidence-based standard in Syria.

Undergraduate medical students’ perceptions, attitudes, and competencies in evidence-based medicine (EBM), and their understanding of EBM reality in Syria

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) should be evaluated and guided by evidence of its own effectiveness. However, no data are available on adoption of EBM by Syrian undergraduate, postgraduate, or practicing physicians. In fact, the teaching of EBM in Syria is not yet a part of undergraduate medical curricula. The authors evaluated education of evidence-based medicine through a two-day intensive training course. Methods The authors evaluated education of evidence-based medicine through a two-day intensive training course that took place in 2011. The course included didactic lectures as well as interactive hands-on workshops on all topics of EBM. A comprehensive questionnaire, that included the Berlin questionnaire, was used to inspect medical students’ awareness of, attitudes toward, and competencies’ in EBM. Results According to students, problems facing proper EBM practice in Syria were the absence of the following: an EBM teaching module in medical school curriculum (94%), role models among professors and instructors (92%), a librarian (70%), institutional subscription to medical journals (94%), and sufficient IT hardware (58%). After the course, there was a statistically significant increase in medical students' perceived ability to go through steps of EBM, namely: formulating PICO questions (56.9%), searching for evidence (39.8%), appraising the evidence (27.3%), understanding statistics (48%), and applying evidence at point of care (34.1%). However, mean increase in Berlin scores after the course was 2.68, a non-statistically significant increase of 17.86%. Conclusion The road to a better EBM reality in Syria starts with teaching EBM in medical school and developing the proper environment to facilitate transforming current medical education and practice to an evidence-based standard in Syria. PMID:22882872

Using an expanded outcomes framework and continuing education evidence to improve facilitation of patient-centered medical home recognition and transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hoof, Thomas J; Kelvey-Albert, Michele; Katz, Matthew; Lalime, Ken; Sacks, Ken; Meehan, Thomas P

2014-01-01

The patient-centered medical home is a model for delivering primary care in the United States. Primary care clinicians and their staffs require assistance in understanding the innovation and in applying it to practice. The purpose of this article is to describe and to critique a continuing education program that is relevant to, and will become more common in, primary care. A multifaceted educational strategy prepared 20 primary care private practices to achieve National Committee for Quality Assurance Level 3 recognition as Patient-Centered Medical Homes. Eighteen (90%) practices submitted an application to the National Committee for Quality Assurance. On the first submission attempt, 13 of 18 (72%) achieved Level 3 recognition and 5 (28%) achieved Level 1 recognition. An interactive multifaceted educational strategy can be successful in preparing primary care practices for Patient-Centered Medical Homes recognition, but the strategy may not ensure transformation. Future educational activities should consider an expanded outcomes framework and the evidence of effective continuing education to be more successful with recognition and transformation.

Information technology and medical missteps: evidence from a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Javitt, Jonathan C; Rebitzer, James B; Reisman, Lonny

2008-05-01

We analyze the effect of a decision support tool designed to help physicians detect and correct medical "missteps". The data comes from a randomized trial of the technology on a population of commercial HMO patients. The key findings are that the new information technology lowers average charges by 6% relative to the control group. This reduction in resource utilization was the result of reduced in-patient charges (and associated professional charges) for the most costly patients. The rate at which identified issues were resolved was generally higher in the study group than in the control group, suggesting the possibility of improvements in care quality along measured dimensions and enhanced diffusion of new protocols based on new clinical evidence.

Medical Supplies Shortages and Burnout among Greek Health Care Workers during Economic Crisis: a Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Rachiotis, George; Kourousis, Christos; Kamilaraki, Maria; Symvoulakis, Emmanouil K.; Dounias, George; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2014-01-01

Greece has been seriously affected by the economic crisis. In 2011 there were reports of 40% reduction to public hospital budgets. Occasional shortages of medical supplies have been reported in mass media. We attempted to pivotally investigate the frequency of medical supplies shortages in two Greek hospital units of the National Health System and to also assess their possible impact on burnout risk of health care workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study (n=303) of health care workers in two Greek hospitals who were present at the workplace during a casually selected working day (morning shift work). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used as the measure of burnout. An additional questionnaire was used about demographics, and working conditions (duration of employment, cumulative night shifts, type of hospital including medical supplies shortages and their impact on quality of healthcare. The prevalence of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment was 44.5%, 43.2% and 51.5%, respectively. Medical supply shortages were significantly associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. This finding provides preliminary evidence that austerity has affected health care in Greece. Moreover, the medical supply shortages in Greek hospitals may reflect the unfolding humanitarian crisis of the country. PMID:24688306

Medical Malpractice Phenomena: Signals for Changing Medical and Health Care Values

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brødsgaard, I.; Moore, R.

1990-01-01

Excellent discussion of the economic factors such as medical malpractice and corporate medicine that have begun to interfere with the doctor-patient relationship and why this relationship is so essential in order to prevent medical malpractice. Issues of quality assurance are relevant to the doctor-patient...... relationship and the quality of health care....

Working on reform. How workers' compensation medical care is affected by health care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Himmelstein, J; Rest, K

1996-01-01

The medical component of workers' compensation programs-now costing over $24 billion annually-and the rest of the nation's medical care system are linked. They share the same patients and providers. They provide similar benefits and services. And they struggle over who should pay for what. Clearly, health care reform and restructuring will have a major impact on the operation and expenditures of the workers' compensation system. For a brief period, during the 1994 national health care reform debate, these two systems were part of the same federal policy development and legislative process. With comprehensive health care reform no longer on the horizon, states now are tackling both workers' compensation and medical system reforms on their own. This paper reviews the major issues federal and state policy makers face as they consider reforms affecting the relationship between workers' compensation and traditional health insurance. What is the relationship of the workers' compensation cost crisis to that in general health care? What strategies are being considered by states involved in reforming the medical component of workers compensation? What are the major policy implications of these strategies?

Shifting subjects of health-care: placing "medical tourism" in the context of Malaysian domestic health-care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Ormond, Meghann

2011-01-01

"Medical tourism" has frequently been held to unsettle naturalised relationships between the state and its citizenry. Yet in casting "medical tourism" as either an outside "innovation" or "invasion," scholars have often ignored the role that the neoliberal retrenchment of social welfare structures has played in shaping the domestic health-care systems of the "developing" countries recognised as international medical travel destinations. While there is little doubt that "medical tourism" impacts destinations' health-care systems, it remains essential to contextualise them. This paper offers a reading of the emergence of "medical tourism" from within the context of ongoing health-care privatisation reform in one of today's most prominent destinations: Malaysia. It argues that "medical tourism" to Malaysia has been mobilised politically both to advance domestic health-care reform and to cast off the country's "underdeveloped" image not only among foreign patient-consumers but also among its own nationals, who are themselves increasingly envisioned by the Malaysian state as prospective health-care consumers.

Medical ADP Systems: Automated Medical Records Hold Promise to Improve Patient Care

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

automated medical records. The report discusses the potential benefits that automation could make to the quality of patient care and the factors that impede...information systems, but no organization has fully automated one of the most critical types of information, patient medical records. The patient medical record...its review of automated medical records. GAO’s objectives in this study were to identify the (1) benefits of automating patient records and (2) factors

38 CFR 17.35 - Hospital care and medical services in foreign countries.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Hospital Or Nursing Home Care and Medical Services in Foreign Countries § 17.35 Hospital care and medical services in foreign countries. The Secretary may furnish hospital care and... associated with and held to be aggravating a service-connected disability; (b) If the care is furnished to a...

The evidence base for diabetes care

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, D. R. R. (David Robert Rhys)

2002-01-01

... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix 1. The Evidence Base for Diabetes Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhys Williams, William Herman, Ann-Louise Kinmonth...

75 FR 62348 - Reimbursement Offsets for Medical Care or Services

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-08

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 38 CFR Part 17 RIN 2900-AN55 Reimbursement Offsets for Medical Care... Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its regulations concerning the reimbursement of medical care and... situations where third-party payers are required to reimburse VA for costs related to care provided by VA to...

Comradery, community, and care in military medical ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Michael L

2011-10-01

Medical ethics prohibits caregivers from discriminating and providing preferential care to their compatriots and comrades. In military medicine, particularly during war and when resources may be scarce, ethical principles may dictate priority care for compatriot soldiers. The principle of nondiscrimination is central to utilitarian and deontological theories of justice, but communitarianism and the ethics of care and friendship stipulate a different set of duties for community members, friends, and family. Similar duties exist among the small cohesive groups that typify many military units. When members of these groups require medical care, there are sometimes moral grounds to treat compatriot soldiers ahead of enemy or allied soldiers regardless of the severity of their respective wounds.

Approach Towards an Evidence-Oriented Knowledge and Data Acquisition for the Optimization of Interdisciplinary Care in Dentistry and General Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Seitz, Max W; Haux, Christian; Knaup, Petra; Schubert, Ingrid; Listl, Stefan

2018-01-01

Associations between dental and chronic-systemic diseases were observed frequently in medical research, however the findings of this research have so far found little relevance in everyday clinical treatment. Major problems are the assessment of evidence for correlations between such diseases and how to integrate current medical knowledge into the intersectoral care of dentists and general practitioners. On the example of dental and chronic-systemic diseases, the Dent@Prevent project develops an interdisciplinary decision support system (DSS), which provides the specialists with information relevant for the treatment of such cases. To provide the physicians with relevant medical knowledge, a mixed-methods approach is developed to acquire the knowledge in an evidence-oriented way. This procedure includes a literature review, routine data analyses, focus groups of dentists and general practitioners as well as the identification and integration of applicable guidelines and Patient Reported Measures (PRMs) into the treatment process. The developed mixed methods approach for an evidence-oriented knowledge acquisition indicates to be applicable and supportable for interdisciplinary projects. It can raise the systematic quality of the knowledge-acquisition process and can be applicable for an evidence-based system development. Further research is necessary to assess the impact on patient care and to evaluate possible applicability in other interdisciplinary areas.

Optimization of Medication Use at Accountable Care Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilks, Chrisanne; Krisle, Erik; Westrich, Kimberly; Lunner, Kristina; Muhlestein, David; Dubois, Robert

2017-10-01

Optimized medication use involves the effective use of medications for better outcomes, improved patient experience, and lower costs. Few studies systematically gather data on the actions accountable care organizations (ACOs) have taken to optimize medication use. To (a) assess how ACOs optimize medication use; (b) establish an association between efforts to optimize medication use and achievement on financial and quality metrics; (c) identify organizational factors that correlate with optimized medication use; and (d) identify barriers to optimized medication use. This cross-sectional study consisted of a survey and interviews that gathered information on the perceptions of ACO leadership. The survey contained a medication practices inventory (MPI) composed of 38 capabilities across 6 functional domains related to optimizing medication use. ACOs completed self-assessments that included rating each component of the MPI on a scale of 1 to 10. Fisher's exact tests, 2-proportions tests, t-tests, and logistic regression were used to test for associations between ACO scores on the MPI and performance on financial and quality metrics, and on ACO descriptive characteristics. Of the 847 ACOs that were contacted, 49 provided usable survey data. These ACOs rated their own system's ability to manage the quality and costs of optimizing medication use, providing a 64% and 31% affirmative response, respectively. Three ACOs achieved an overall MPI score of 8 or higher, 45 scored between 4 and 7.9, and 1 scored between 0 and 3.9. Using the 3 score groups, the study did not identify a relationship between MPI scores and achievement on financial or quality benchmarks, ACO provider type, member volume, date of ACO creation, or the presence of a pharmacist in a leadership position. Barriers to optimizing medication use relate to reimbursement for pharmacist integration, lack of health information technology interoperability, lack of data, feasibility issues, and physician buy

Emergency Medical Care Training and Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Topham, Charles S.

1982-01-01

Describes an 11-week emergency medical care training program for adolescents focusing on: pretest results; factual emergency instruction and first aid; practical experience training; and assessment. (RC)

End-of-life costs of medical care for advanced stage cancer patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovačević Aleksandra

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Cancer, one of the leading causes of mortality in the world, imposes a substantial economic burden on each society, including Serbia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the major cancer cost drivers in Serbia. Methods. A retrospective, indepth, bottom-up analysis of two combined databases was performed in order to quantify relevant costs. End-of-life data were obtained from patients with cancer, who deceased within the first year of the established diagnose, including basic demographics, diagnosis, tumour histology, medical resource use and related costs, time and cause of death. All costs were allocated to one of the three categories of cancer health care services: primary care (included home care, hospital outpatient and hospital inpatient care. Results. Exactly 114 patients were analyzed, out of whom a high percent (48.25% had distant metastases at the moment of establishing the diagnosis. Malignant neoplasms of respiratory and intrathoracic organs were leading causes of morbidity. The average costs per patient were significantly different according to the diagnosis, with the highest (13,114.10 EUR and the lowest (4.00 EUR ones observed in the breast cancer and melanoma, respectively. The greatest impact on total costs was observed concerning pharmaceuticals, with 42% of share (monoclonal antibodies amounted to 34% of all medicines and 14% of total costs, followed by oncology medical care (21%, radiation therapy and interventional radiology (11%, surgery (9%, imaging diagnostics (9% and laboratory costs (8%. Conclusion. Cancer treatment incurs high costs, especially for end-of-life pharmaceutical expenses, ensued from medical personnel tendency to improve such patients’ quality of life in spite of nearing the end of life. Reimbursement policy on monoclonal antibodies, in particular at end-stage disease, should rely on cost-effectiveness evidence as well as documented clinical efficiency. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke

Evidence-based competencies for improving communication skills in graduate medical education: a review with suggestions for implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Stephen G; Holmboe, Eric S; Frankel, Richard M

2013-05-01

Communicating with patients is arguably the most common and important activity in medical practice, but this activity receives relatively little emphasis in graduate medical education. We propose 12 evidence-based communication competencies that program directors can adopt as a framework for teaching and evaluating residents' communication skills. We review supporting evidence for these competencies and argue that communication should be treated like a procedural skill that must be taught and evaluated by observing real resident-patient interactions. We make practical suggestions for implementing these competencies by addressing three critical components of a competency-based approach to communication skills: patient safety, faculty development, and direct observation of residents. This approach to teaching and assessing communication skills provides a rationale for incorporating routine direct observation into graduate medical education programs and also for designing communication skills training that ensures graduating residents develop the skills needed to provide safe, effective patient care.

Emerging trends in the outsourcing of medical and surgical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Jennifer B; McGrath, Mary H; Maa, John

2011-01-01

As total health care expenditures are expected to constitute an increasing portion of the US gross domestic product during the coming years, the US health care system is anticipating a historic spike in the need for care. Outsourcing medical and surgical care to other nations has expanded rapidly, and several ethical, legal, and financial considerations require careful evaluation. Ultimately, the balance between cost savings, quality, and patient satisfaction will be the key determinant in the future of medical outsourcing.

Five Questions Critical Care Educators Should Ask About Simulation-Based Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Piquette, Dominique; LeBlanc, Vicki R

2015-09-01

Simulation is now commonly used in health care education, and a growing body of evidence supports its positive impact on learning. However, simulation-based medical education (SBME) involves a range of modalities, instructional methods, and presentations associated with different advantages and limitations. This review aims at better understanding the nature of SBME, its theoretic and proven benefits, its delivery, and the challenges posed by SBME. Areas requiring further research and development are also discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fly-By medical care: Conceptualizing the global and local social responsibilities of medical tourists and physician voluntourists

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Medical tourism is a global health practice where patients travel abroad to receive health care. Voluntourism is a practice where physicians travel abroad to deliver health care. Both of these practices often entail travel from high income to low and middle income countries and both have been associated with possible negative impacts. In this paper, we explore the social responsibilities of medical tourists and voluntourists to identify commonalities and distinctions that can be used to develop a wider understanding of social responsibility in global health care practices. Discussion Social responsibility is a responsibility to promote the welfare of the communities to which one belongs or with which one interacts. Physicians stress their social responsibility to care for the welfare of their patients and their domestic communities. When physicians choose to travel to another county to provide medical care, this social responsibility is expanded to this new community. Patients too have a social responsibility to use their community's health resources efficiently and to promote the health of their community. When these patients choose to go abroad to receive medical care, this social responsibility applies to the new community as well. While voluntourists and medical tourists both see the scope of their social responsibilities expand by engaging in these global practices, the social responsibilities of physician voluntourists are much better defined than those of medical tourists. Guidelines for engaging in ethical voluntourism and training for voluntourists still need better development, but medical tourism as a practice should follow the lead of voluntourism by developing clearer norms for ethical medical tourism. Summary Much can be learned by examining the social responsibilities of medical tourists and voluntourists when they engage in global health practices. While each group needs better guidance for engaging in responsible forms of these practices

Fly-By medical care: Conceptualizing the global and local social responsibilities of medical tourists and physician voluntourists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crooks Valorie A

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical tourism is a global health practice where patients travel abroad to receive health care. Voluntourism is a practice where physicians travel abroad to deliver health care. Both of these practices often entail travel from high income to low and middle income countries and both have been associated with possible negative impacts. In this paper, we explore the social responsibilities of medical tourists and voluntourists to identify commonalities and distinctions that can be used to develop a wider understanding of social responsibility in global health care practices. Discussion Social responsibility is a responsibility to promote the welfare of the communities to which one belongs or with which one interacts. Physicians stress their social responsibility to care for the welfare of their patients and their domestic communities. When physicians choose to travel to another county to provide medical care, this social responsibility is expanded to this new community. Patients too have a social responsibility to use their community's health resources efficiently and to promote the health of their community. When these patients choose to go abroad to receive medical care, this social responsibility applies to the new community as well. While voluntourists and medical tourists both see the scope of their social responsibilities expand by engaging in these global practices, the social responsibilities of physician voluntourists are much better defined than those of medical tourists. Guidelines for engaging in ethical voluntourism and training for voluntourists still need better development, but medical tourism as a practice should follow the lead of voluntourism by developing clearer norms for ethical medical tourism. Summary Much can be learned by examining the social responsibilities of medical tourists and voluntourists when they engage in global health practices. While each group needs better guidance for engaging in

Fly-By medical care: Conceptualizing the global and local social responsibilities of medical tourists and physician voluntourists.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Jeremy; Dharamsi, Shafik; Crooks, Valorie A

2011-04-06

Medical tourism is a global health practice where patients travel abroad to receive health care. Voluntourism is a practice where physicians travel abroad to deliver health care. Both of these practices often entail travel from high income to low and middle income countries and both have been associated with possible negative impacts. In this paper, we explore the social responsibilities of medical tourists and voluntourists to identify commonalities and distinctions that can be used to develop a wider understanding of social responsibility in global health care practices. Social responsibility is a responsibility to promote the welfare of the communities to which one belongs or with which one interacts. Physicians stress their social responsibility to care for the welfare of their patients and their domestic communities. When physicians choose to travel to another county to provide medical care, this social responsibility is expanded to this new community. Patients too have a social responsibility to use their community's health resources efficiently and to promote the health of their community. When these patients choose to go abroad to receive medical care, this social responsibility applies to the new community as well. While voluntourists and medical tourists both see the scope of their social responsibilities expand by engaging in these global practices, the social responsibilities of physician voluntourists are much better defined than those of medical tourists. Guidelines for engaging in ethical voluntourism and training for voluntourists still need better development, but medical tourism as a practice should follow the lead of voluntourism by developing clearer norms for ethical medical tourism. Much can be learned by examining the social responsibilities of medical tourists and voluntourists when they engage in global health practices. While each group needs better guidance for engaging in responsible forms of these practices, patients are at a

Undergraduate medical students’ perceptions, attitudes, and competencies in evidence-based medicine (EBM, and their understanding of EBM reality in Syria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alahdab Fares

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM should be evaluated and guided by evidence of its own effectiveness. However, no data are available on adoption of EBM by Syrian undergraduate, postgraduate, or practicing physicians. In fact, the teaching of EBM in Syria is not yet a part of undergraduate medical curricula. The authors evaluated education of evidence-based medicine through a two-day intensive training course. Methods The authors evaluated education of evidence-based medicine through a two-day intensive training course that took place in 2011. The course included didactic lectures as well as interactive hands-on workshops on all topics of EBM. A comprehensive questionnaire, that included the Berlin questionnaire, was used to inspect medical students’ awareness of, attitudes toward, and competencies’ in EBM. Results According to students, problems facing proper EBM practice in Syria were the absence of the following: an EBM teaching module in medical school curriculum (94%, role models among professors and instructors (92%, a librarian (70%, institutional subscription to medical journals (94%, and sufficient IT hardware (58%. After the course, there was a statistically significant increase in medical students' perceived ability to go through steps of EBM, namely: formulating PICO questions (56.9%, searching for evidence (39.8%, appraising the evidence (27.3%, understanding statistics (48%, and applying evidence at point of care (34.1%. However, mean increase in Berlin scores after the course was 2.68, a non-statistically significant increase of 17.86%. Conclusion The road to a better EBM reality in Syria starts with teaching EBM in medical school and developing the proper environment to facilitate transforming current medical education and practice to an evidence-based standard in Syria.

[The medical social aspects of ambulatory medical care to victims of road traffic accidents].

Science.gov (United States)

Gorbunkov, V Ia; Bugaev, D A; Derevianko, D V

2012-01-01

The article discusses the issues of the organization of medical care to victims of road traffic accidents. The analysis of primary appealability of patients to the first-aid center of Stavropol and Novorossiysk during 2008-2010 is presented. The sampling consisted of 904 cases of this kind of trauma. It is established that among victims of road traffic accident appealed to first-aid centers the pedestrians consist the major part. The traumas of limbs are among the most frequently occurred cases. The victims with cranio-cerebral injuries are among those who appealed most frequently for medical aid. Besides that in most cases (63.4%) the victims with cranio-cerebral injuries were transported not to the neurologic surgery clinic but to the first-aid center This action increased the number of transport stages and duration of time gap before specialized medical care was applied. The conclusion is made concerning the need of further development of out-patient urgent medical care to victims of road traffic accidents.

Self-Perceived End-of-Life Care Competencies of Health-Care Providers at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Montagnini, Marcos; Smith, Heather M; Price, Deborah M; Ghosh, Bidisha; Strodtman, Linda

2018-01-01

In the United States, most deaths occur in hospitals, with approximately 25% of hospitalized patients having palliative care needs. Therefore, the provision of good end-of-life (EOL) care to these patients is a priority. However, research assessing staff preparedness for the provision of EOL care to hospitalized patients is lacking. To assess health-care professionals' self-perceived competencies regarding the provision of EOL care in hospitalized patients. Descriptive study of self-perceived EOL care competencies among health-care professionals. The study instrument (End-of-Life Questionnaire) contains 28 questions assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to the provision of EOL care. Health-care professionals (nursing, medicine, social work, psychology, physical, occupational and respiratory therapist, and spiritual care) at a large academic medical center participated in the study. Means were calculated for each item, and comparisons of mean scores were conducted via t tests. Analysis of variance was used to identify differences among groups. A total of 1197 questionnaires was completed. The greatest self-perceived competency was in providing emotional support for patients/families, and the least self-perceived competency was in providing continuity of care. When compared to nurses, physicians had higher scores on EOL care attitudes, behaviors, and communication. Physicians and nurses had higher scores on most subscales than other health-care providers. Differences in self-perceived EOL care competencies were identified among disciplines, particularly between physicians and nurses. The results provide evidence for assessing health-care providers to identify their specific training needs before implementing educational programs on EOL care.

[The development of organization of medical social care of adolescents].

Science.gov (United States)

Chicherin, L P; Nagaev, R Ia

2014-01-01

The model of the subject of the Russian Federation is used to consider means of development of health protection and health promotion in adolescents including implementation of the National strategy of activities in interest of children for 2012-2017 approved by decree No761 of the President of Russia in June 1 2012. The analysis is carried out concerning organization of medical social care to this group of population in medical institutions and organizations of different type in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Nowadays, in 29 territories medical social departments and rooms, 5 specialized health centers for children, 6 clinics friendly to youth are organized. The analysis of manpower support demonstrates that in spite of increasing of number of rooms and departments of medical social care for children and adolescents decreasing of staff jobs both of medical personnel and psychologists and social workers occurs. The differences in priorities of functioning of departments and rooms of medical social care under children polyclinics, health centers for children and clinics friendly to youth are established. The questionnaire survey of pediatricians and adolescents concerning perspectives of development of adolescent service established significant need in development of specialized complex center. At the basis of such center problems of medical, pedagogical, social, psychological, legal profile related to specific characteristics of development and medical social needs of adolescents can be resolved. The article demonstrates organizational form of unification on the functional basis of the department of medical social care of children polyclinic and clinic friendly to youth. During three years, number of visits of adolescents to specialists of the center increases and this testifies awareness of adolescents and youth about activities of department of medical social care. The most percentage of visits of adolescents to specialists was made with prevention purpose. Among

Adherence to Follow-Up Recommendations by Triathlon Competitors Receiving Event Medical Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Joslin, Jeremy D; Lloyd, Jarem B; Copeli, Nikoli; Cooney, Derek R

2017-01-01

Introduction . We sought to investigate triathlete adherence to recommendations for follow-up for participants who received event medical care. Methods . Participants of the 2011 Ironman Syracuse 70.3 (Syracuse, NY) who sought evaluation and care at the designated finish line medical tent were contacted by telephone approximately 3 months after the initial encounter to measure adherence with the recommendation to seek follow-up care after event. Results . Out of 750 race participants, 35 (4.6%) athletes received event medical care. Of these 35, twenty-eight (28/35; 80%) consented to participate in the study and 17 (61%) were available on telephone follow-up. Of these 17 athletes, 11 (11/17; 65%) of participants reported that they had not followed up with a medical professional since the race. Only 5 (5/17; 29%) confirmed that they had seen a medical provider in some fashion since the race; of these, only 2 (2/17; 12%) sought formal medical follow-up resulting from the recommendation whereas the remaining athletes merely saw their medical providers coincidentally or as part of routine care. Conclusion . Only 2 (2/17; 12%) of athletes who received event medical care obtained postrace follow-up within a one-month time period following the race. Event medical care providers must be aware of potential nonadherence to follow-up recommendations.

Adherence to Follow-Up Recommendations by Triathlon Competitors Receiving Event Medical Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy D. Joslin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. We sought to investigate triathlete adherence to recommendations for follow-up for participants who received event medical care. Methods. Participants of the 2011 Ironman Syracuse 70.3 (Syracuse, NY who sought evaluation and care at the designated finish line medical tent were contacted by telephone approximately 3 months after the initial encounter to measure adherence with the recommendation to seek follow-up care after event. Results. Out of 750 race participants, 35 (4.6% athletes received event medical care. Of these 35, twenty-eight (28/35; 80% consented to participate in the study and 17 (61% were available on telephone follow-up. Of these 17 athletes, 11 (11/17; 65% of participants reported that they had not followed up with a medical professional since the race. Only 5 (5/17; 29% confirmed that they had seen a medical provider in some fashion since the race; of these, only 2 (2/17; 12% sought formal medical follow-up resulting from the recommendation whereas the remaining athletes merely saw their medical providers coincidentally or as part of routine care. Conclusion. Only 2 (2/17; 12% of athletes who received event medical care obtained postrace follow-up within a one-month time period following the race. Event medical care providers must be aware of potential nonadherence to follow-up recommendations.

Preclinical diagnosis and emergency medical care in case of radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohlenschlaeger, L.

1990-01-01

Reference is made to preclinical diagnosis and emergency medical care at the site of a potential radiation accident. Possibilities and limits, respectively, of the medical measures are shown. Cooperation between the experts of the technical and medical rescue services is described. Exposition to radiation for the emergency medical staff resulting from the medical care of contaminated persons, is negligible if the personal precautions are observed. (orig.) [de

Inflation in DoD Medical Care

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Goldberg, Matthew

1997-01-01

The Defense Health Program (DHP) is appropriated funds to provide medical care to active-duty military personnel and their family members, military retirees and their family members, and other eligible beneficiaries...

What is the Best Evidence Medical Education?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasoul Masoomi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME is defined as: “The implementation by teachers and educational bodies in their practice, of methods and approaches to education based on the best evidence available.” Five steps have been recognized in the practice of BEME. These are: framing the question, developing a search strategy, evaluating the evidence, implementing change and evaluating that change. In this paper, I described the concept of BEME, its steps, and challenges.

Traveling abroad for medical care: U.S. medical tourists' expectations and perceptions of service quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Guiry, Michael; Vequist, David G

2011-01-01

The SERVQUAL scale has been widely used to measure service quality in the health care industry. This research is the first study that used SERVQUAL to assess U.S. medical tourists' expectations and perceptions of the service quality of health care facilities located outside the United States. Based on a sample of U.S. consumers, who had traveled abroad for medical care, the results indicated that there were significant differences between U.S. medical tourists' perceived level of service provided and their expectations of the service that should be provided for four of the five dimensions of service quality. Reliability had the largest service quality gap followed by assurance, tangibles, and empathy. Responsiveness was the only dimension without a significantly different gap score. The study establishes a foundation for future research on service quality in the rapidly growing medical tourism industry.

[Reliability of Primary Care computerised medication records].

Science.gov (United States)

García-Molina Sáez, Celia; Urbieta Sanz, Elena; Madrigal de Torres, Manuel; Piñera Salmerón, Pascual; Pérez Cárceles, María D

2016-03-01

To quantify and to evaluate the reliability of Primary Care (PC) computerised medication records of as an information source of patient chronic medications, and to identify associated factors with the presence of discrepancies. A descriptive cross-sectional study. General Referral Hospital in Murcia. Patients admitted to the cardiology-chest diseases unit, during the months of February to April 2013, on home treatment, who agreed to participate in the study. Evaluation of the reliability of Primary Care computerised medication records by analysing the concordance, by identifying discrepancies, between the active medication in these records and that recorded in pharmacist interview with the patient/caregiver. Identification of associated factors with the presence of discrepancies was analysed using a multivariate logistic regression. The study included a total of 308 patients with a mean of 70.9 years (13.0 SD). The concordance of active ingredients was 83.7%, and this decreased to 34.7% when taking the dosage into account. Discrepancies were found in 97.1% of patients. The most frequent discrepancy was omission of frequency (35.6%), commission (drug added unjustifiably) (14.6%), and drug omission (12.7%). Age older than 65 years (1.98 [1.08 to 3.64]), multiple chronic diseases (1.89 [1.04 to 3.42]), and have a narcotic or psychotropic drug prescribed (2.22 [1.16 to 4.24]), were the factors associated with the presence of discrepancies. Primary Care computerised medication records, although of undoubted interest, are not be reliable enough to be used as the sole source of information on patient chronic medications when admitted to hospital. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The evolution of dependent medical care in the U.S. Army.

Science.gov (United States)

Herold, Thomas J S

2011-10-01

There is great focus within the military medical community regarding the ever growing cost of medical care overall and dependent care specifically. A great deal of discussion relates to the delivery of care through a growing military-civilian partnership, where an increased amount of health care will be referred to an ever growing network of civilian providers. The U.S. military establishment now stands at an important crossroad leading into the future of dependent care. However, the special concerns, which arise from the responsibility of caring for military dependents, are not a solely recent phenomenon. Ever since the establishment of a permanent standing U.S. Army in the late 1700s, there have been families in need of medical treatment. Although changes occurred continuously, the development and evolution of policies regulating the delivery of medical care to dependants can be divided into three periods. The first is the longest and ranges from the establishment of the Army until the year 1900. The second period spans from 1900 to the post-Korean War year of 1956. The third and final period is from 1956 to 1975. Special changes and advances in each of these periods have served to shape the face of dependent care in today's Army Medical Department.

Final year medical students' views on simulation-based teaching: a comparison with the Best Evidence Medical Education Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Paskins, Zoë; Peile, Ed

2010-01-01

Simulation is being increasingly used in medical education. The aim of this study was to explore in more depth the features of simulation-based teaching that undergraduate medical students value using the Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) Systematic Review features that lead to effective learning as a framework. Thematic analysis of four semi-structured focus groups with final year medical students who had been taught acute care skills using a medium-fidelity whole-body simulator manikin (SimMan). Twelve key themes were identified, namely, feedback, integration into curriculum, learning style, learning environment, realism, teamwork, communication skills, confidence/increased self-efficacy, anxiety, performance, perceptions of foundation year 1 (FY1) and SimMan as a resource. Each theme is described with supporting quotes. Six of the ten features listed in the BEME review appeared to be of particular value to the medical students. This study provides a richer understanding of these features. In addition, new insights into the effect of simulation on confidence, anxiety and self-efficacy are discussed which may be affected by the 'performance' nature of simulation role-play. Students also contribute critical thought about the use of SimMan as a resource and provide novel ideas for reducing 'downtime'.

Implementing change in primary care practices using electronic medical records: a conceptual framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemeth, Lynne S; Feifer, Chris; Stuart, Gail W; Ornstein, Steven M

2008-01-16

Implementing change in primary care is difficult, and little practical guidance is available to assist small primary care practices. Methods to structure care and develop new roles are often needed to implement an evidence-based practice that improves care. This study explored the process of change used to implement clinical guidelines for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in primary care practices that used a common electronic medical record (EMR). Multiple conceptual frameworks informed the design of this study designed to explain the complex phenomena of implementing change in primary care practice. Qualitative methods were used to examine the processes of change that practice members used to implement the guidelines. Purposive sampling in eight primary care practices within the Practice Partner Research Network-Translating Researching into Practice (PPRNet-TRIP II) clinical trial yielded 28 staff members and clinicians who were interviewed regarding how change in practice occurred while implementing clinical guidelines for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and strokes. A conceptual framework for implementing clinical guidelines into primary care practice was developed through this research. Seven concepts and their relationships were modelled within this framework: leaders setting a vision with clear goals for staff to embrace; involving the team to enable the goals and vision for the practice to be achieved; enhancing communication systems to reinforce goals for patient care; developing the team to enable the staff to contribute toward practice improvement; taking small steps, encouraging practices' tests of small changes in practice; assimilating the electronic medical record to maximize clinical effectiveness, enhancing practices' use of the electronic tool they have invested in for patient care improvement; and providing feedback within a culture of improvement, leading to an iterative cycle of goal setting

[What is parents' and medical health care specialists knowledge about vaccinations?].

Science.gov (United States)

Tarczoń, Izabela; Domaradzka, Ewa; Czajka, Hanna

2009-01-01

The aim of the study was to become familiar with parents' and Medical Health Care specialists knowledge and attitude towards vaccinations. The influence of information, provided to patients from various sources, on general opinion about immunization and its coverage within the last year were evaluated. Analysis of questionnaires about vaccinations performed among 151 parents and 180 Medical Health Care specialists. Medical Health Care specialists knowledge was considerably higher in comparison to questioned parents. Surprisingly enough, only approximately 90% of Medical Health Care workers knew about prophylaxis of Hib infections. A doctor is the main and the most reliable source of information for parents. Significant impact on parents' attitude to vaccinations is made not only by campaigns promoting vaccinations, but also by widespread opinions about their harmfulness. The doctor is the major source of reliable information about vaccinations for parents. Therefore, there is the need of continuous improvement of Medical Health Care specialists knowledge, but also the ability of successfully communicating it to parents.

Implementing Evidence-Based Neonatal Skin Care With Parent-Performed, Delayed Immersion Baths.

Science.gov (United States)

Brogan, Jeanette; Rapkin, Gloria

2017-12-01

There has been a recent trend toward delaying newborn baths because of mounting evidence that delayed bathing promotes breastfeeding, decreases hypothermia, and allows for more parental involvement with newborn care. A multidisciplinary team from a maternal-new-born unit at a military medical center designed and implemented an evidence-based practice change from infant sponge baths shortly after birth to delayed immersion baths. An analysis of newborn temperature data showed that newborns who received delayed immersion baths were less likely to be hypothermic than those who received a sponge bath shortly after birth. Furthermore, parents reported that they liked participating in bathing their newborns and that they felt prepared to bathe them at home. © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Payment and Care for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Patients: Toward a Specialized Medical Home for Complex Care Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gajewski, James L; McClellan, Mark B; Majhail, Navneet S; Hari, Parameswaran N; Bredeson, Christopher N; Maziarz, Richard T; LeMaistre, Charles F; Lill, Michael C; Farnia, Stephanie H; Komanduri, Krishna V; Boo, Michael J

2018-01-01

Patient-centered medical home models are fundamental to the advanced alternative payment models defined in the Medicare Access and Children's Health Insurance Plan Reauthorization Act (MACRA). The patient-centered medical home is a model of healthcare delivery supported by alternative payment mechanisms and designed to promote coordinated medical care that is simultaneously patient-centric and population-oriented. This transformative care model requires shifting reimbursement to include a per-patient payment intended to cover services not previously reimbursed such as disease management over time. Payment is linked to quality measures, including proportion of care delivered according to predefined pathways and demonstrated impact on outcomes. Some medical homes also include opportunities for shared savings by reducing overall costs of care. Recent proposals have suggested expanding the medical home model to specialized populations with complex needs because primary care teams may not have the facilities or the requisite expertise for their unique needs. An example of a successful care model that may provide valuable lessons for those creating specialty medical home models already exists in many hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) centers that deliver multidisciplinary, coordinated, and highly specialized care. The integration of care delivery in HCT centers has been driven by the specialty care their patients require and by the payment methodology preferred by the commercial payers, which has included bundling of both inpatient and outpatient care in the peritransplant interval. Commercial payers identify qualified HCT centers based on accreditation status and comparative performance, enabled in part by center-level comparative performance data available within a national outcomes database mandated by the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005. Standardization across centers has been facilitated via voluntary accreditation implemented by Foundation for

Improving medical graduates' training in palliative care: advancing education and practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Head BA

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Barbara A Head,1 Tara J Schapmire,1 Lori Earnshaw,1 John Chenault,2 Mark Pfeifer,1 Susan Sawning,3 Monica A Shaw,3 1Division of General Internal Medicine, Palliative Care and Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 2Kornhouser Health Sciences Library, University of Louisville, 3Undergraduate Medical Education Office, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA Abstract: The needs of an aging population and advancements in the treatment of both chronic and life-threatening diseases have resulted in increased demand for quality palliative care. The doctors of the future will need to be well prepared to provide expert symptom management and address the holistic needs (physical, psychosocial, and spiritual of patients dealing with serious illness and the end of life. Such preparation begins with general medical education. It has been recommended that teaching and clinical experiences in palliative care be integrated throughout the medical school curriculum, yet such education has not become the norm in medical schools across the world. This article explores the current status of undergraduate medical education in palliative care as published in the English literature and makes recommendations for educational improvements which will prepare doctors to address the needs of seriously ill and dying patients. Keywords: medical education, palliative care, end-of-life care

The Medical Home Model and Pediatric Asthma Symptom Severity: Evidence from a National Health Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojanasarot, Sirikan; Carlson, Angeline M

2018-04-01

The objective was to investigate the association between receiving care under the medical home model and parental assessment of the severity of asthma symptoms. It was hypothesized that parents of children who received care under the medical home model reported less severe asthma symptoms compared with their counterparts, whose care did not meet the medical home criteria. Secondary analyses were conducted using cross-sectional data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Children with asthma aged 0-17 years were included and classified as receiving care from the medical home if their care contained 5 components: a personal doctor, a usual source of sick care, family-centered care, no problems getting referrals, and effective care coordination. Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between parent-rated severity of asthma symptoms (mild, moderate, and severe symptoms) and the medical home. Approximately 52% of 8229 children who reported having asthma received care from the medical home. Only 30.8% of children with severe asthma symptoms received care that met the medical home criteria, compared to 55.7% of children with mild symptoms. After accounting for confounding factors, obtaining care under the medical home model decreased the odds of parent-reported severe asthma symptoms by 31% (adjusted odds ratio 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56-0.85). Study results suggest that the medical home model can reduce parent-rated severity of asthma symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of providing medical home care to children with asthma to improve the outcomes that matter most to children and their families.

Improving outcomes for patients with medication-resistant anxiety: effects of collaborative care with cognitive behavioral therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell-Sills, Laura; Roy-Byrne, Peter P; Craske, Michelle G; Bystritsky, Alexander; Sullivan, Greer; Stein, Murray B

2016-12-01

Many patients with anxiety disorders remain symptomatic after receiving evidence-based treatment, yet research on treatment-resistant anxiety is limited. We evaluated effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on outcomes of patients with medication-resistant anxiety disorders using data from the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) trial. Primary care patients who met study entry criteria (including DSM-IV diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or social anxiety disorder) despite ongoing pharmacotherapy of appropriate type, dose, and duration were classified as medication resistant (n = 227). Logistic regression was used to estimate effects of CALM's CBT program (CALM-CBT; chosen by 104 of 117 medication-resistant patients randomized to CALM) versus usual care (UC; n = 110) on response [≥ 50% reduction of 12-item Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-12) anxiety and somatic symptom score] and remission (BSI-12 < 6) at 6, 12, and 18 months. Within-group analyses examined outcomes by treatment choice (CBT vs. CBT plus medication management) and CBT dose. Approximately 58% of medication-resistant CALM-CBT patients responded and 46% remitted during the study. Relative to UC, CALM-CBT was associated with greater response at 6 months (AOR = 3.78, 95% CI 2.02-7.07) and 12 months (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI 1.36-4.58) and remission at 6, 12, and 18 months (AORs = 2.44 to 3.18). Patients in CBT plus medication management fared no better than those in CBT only. Some evidence suggested higher CBT dose produced better outcomes. CBT can improve outcomes for patients whose anxiety symptoms are resistant to standard pharmacotherapy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Medical Home Implementation Gaps for Seniors: Perceptions and Experiences of Primary Care Medical Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoff, Timothy; DePuccio, Matthew

2018-07-01

The study objective was to better understand specific implementation gaps for various aspects of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) care delivered to seniors. The study illuminates the physician and staff experience by focusing on how individuals make sense of and respond behaviorally to aspects of PCMH implementation. Qualitative data from 51 in-depth, semi-structured interviews across six different National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)-accredited primary care practices were collected and analyzed. Physicians and staff identified PCMH implementation gaps for their seniors: (a) performing in-depth clinical assessments, (b) identifying seniors' life needs and linking them with community resources, and (c) care management and coordination, in particular self-management support for seniors. Prior experiences trying to perform these aspects of PCMH care for older adults produced collective understandings that led to inaction and avoidance by medical practices around the first two gaps, and proactive behavior that took strategic advantage of external incentives for addressing the third gap. Greater understanding of physician and staff's PCMH implementation experiences, and the learning that accumulates from these experiences, allows for a deeper understanding of how primary care practices choose to enact the medical home model for seniors on an everyday basis.

Classification Model That Predicts Medical Students' Choices of Primary Care or Non-Primary Care Specialties.

Science.gov (United States)

Fincher, Ruth-Marie E.; And Others

1992-01-01

This study identified factors in graduating medical students' choice of primary versus nonprimary care specialty. Subjects were 509 students at the Medical College of Georgia in 1988-90. Students could be classified by such factors as desire for longitudinal patient care opportunities, monetary rewards, perception of lifestyle, and perception of…

Developing a medication communication framework across continuums of care using the Circle of Care Modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Medication errors are a common type of preventable errors in health care causing unnecessary patient harm, hospitalization, and even fatality. Improving communication between providers and between providers and patients is a key aspect of decreasing medication errors and improving patient safety. Medication management requires extensive collaboration and communication across roles and care settings, which can reduce (or contribute to) medication-related errors. Medication management involves key recurrent activities (determine need, prescribe, dispense, administer, and monitor/evaluate) with information communicated within and between each. Despite its importance, there is a lack of conceptual models that explore medication communication specifically across roles and settings. This research seeks to address that gap. Methods The Circle of Care Modeling (CCM) approach was used to build a model of medication communication activities across the circle of care. CCM positions the patient in the centre of his or her own healthcare system; providers and other roles are then modeled around the patient as a web of relationships. Recurrent medication communication activities were mapped to the medication management framework. The research occurred in three iterations, to test and revise the model: Iteration 1 consisted of a literature review and internal team discussion, Iteration 2 consisted of interviews, observation, and a discussion group at a Community Health Centre, and Iteration 3 consisted of interviews and a discussion group in the larger community. Results Each iteration provided further detail to the Circle of Care medication communication model. Specific medication communication activities were mapped along each communication pathway between roles and to the medication management framework. We could not map all medication communication activities to the medication management framework; we added Coordinate as a separate and distinct recurrent activity

Developing a medication communication framework across continuums of care using the Circle of Care Modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitson, Nicole A; Price, Morgan; Lau, Francis Y; Showler, Grey

2013-10-17

Medication errors are a common type of preventable errors in health care causing unnecessary patient harm, hospitalization, and even fatality. Improving communication between providers and between providers and patients is a key aspect of decreasing medication errors and improving patient safety. Medication management requires extensive collaboration and communication across roles and care settings, which can reduce (or contribute to) medication-related errors. Medication management involves key recurrent activities (determine need, prescribe, dispense, administer, and monitor/evaluate) with information communicated within and between each. Despite its importance, there is a lack of conceptual models that explore medication communication specifically across roles and settings. This research seeks to address that gap. The Circle of Care Modeling (CCM) approach was used to build a model of medication communication activities across the circle of care. CCM positions the patient in the centre of his or her own healthcare system; providers and other roles are then modeled around the patient as a web of relationships. Recurrent medication communication activities were mapped to the medication management framework. The research occurred in three iterations, to test and revise the model: Iteration 1 consisted of a literature review and internal team discussion, Iteration 2 consisted of interviews, observation, and a discussion group at a Community Health Centre, and Iteration 3 consisted of interviews and a discussion group in the larger community. Each iteration provided further detail to the Circle of Care medication communication model. Specific medication communication activities were mapped along each communication pathway between roles and to the medication management framework. We could not map all medication communication activities to the medication management framework; we added Coordinate as a separate and distinct recurrent activity. We saw many examples of

How Medical Tourism Enables Preferential Access to Care: Four Patterns from the Canadian Context.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Jeremy; Johnston, Rory; Crooks, Valorie A; Morgan, Jeff; Adams, Krystyna

2017-06-01

Medical tourism is the practice of traveling across international borders with the intention of accessing medical care, paid for out-of-pocket. This practice has implications for preferential access to medical care for Canadians both through inbound and outbound medical tourism. In this paper, we identify four patterns of medical tourism with implications for preferential access to care by Canadians: (1) Inbound medical tourism to Canada's public hospitals; (2) Inbound medical tourism to a First Nations reserve; (3) Canadian patients opting to go abroad for medical tourism; and (4) Canadian patients traveling abroad with a Canadian surgeon. These patterns of medical tourism affect preferential access to health care by Canadians by circumventing domestic regulation of care, creating jurisdictional tensions over the provision of health care, and undermining solidarity with the Canadian health system.

National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) is a national survey designed to meet the need for objective, reliable information about the provision and use of...

The patient-centered medical home neighbor: A primary care physician's view.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinsky, Christine A

2011-01-04

The American College of Physicians' position paper on the patient-centered medical home neighbor (PCMH-N) extends the work of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) as a means of improving the delivery of health care. Recognizing that the PCMH does not exist in isolation, the PCMH-N concept outlines expectations for comanagement, communication, and care coordination and broadens responsibility for safe, effective, and efficient care beyond primary care to include physicians of all specialties. As such, it is a fitting follow-up to the PCMH and moves further down the road toward improved care for complex patients. Yet, there is more work to be done. Truly transforming the U.S. health care system around personalized medical homes embedded in highly functional medical neighborhoods will require better staffing models; more robust electronic information tools; aligned incentives for quality and efficiency within payment and regulatory policies; and a culture of greater engagement of patients, their families, and communities.

Structuring Payment to Medical Homes After the Affordable Care Act

OpenAIRE

Edwards, Samuel T.; Abrams, Melinda K.; Baron, Richard J.; Berenson, Robert A.; Rich, Eugene C.; Rosenthal, Gary E.; Rosenthal, Meredith B.; Landon, Bruce E.

2014-01-01

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a leading model of primary care reform, a critical element of which is payment reform for primary care services. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) has emerged as a model of delivery system reform, and while there is theoretical alignment between the PCMH and ACOs, the discussion of physician payment within each model has remained distinct. Here we compare payment for medical homes with that for acco...

Patient satisfaction with medical care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Sadovoy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Patients’ evaluation of medical care is becoming more and more important due to expanding patient-centered care. For this purpose a complex index of patient satisfaction with healthcare is used. This parameter reflects the correspondence of actual healthcare services to patient’s expectations that were formed under the influence of cultural, social, economic factors, and personal experience of each patient. Satisfaction is a subjective parameter, thus, a grade of satisfaction is barely connected with quality of healthcare services itself. Moreover, medical organizations should always take into account specific features of each patient, since they can have an influence on customer attitude to medical services.This article comprises the review of publications studying determinants of patient satisfaction. In the course of the study, we analyzed data received by research teams from different countries.According to the review, we made some conclusions. First, determinants of patient satisfaction with healthcare can be divided in two groups. The first group of factors includes patients’ characteristics such as age, gender, ethnical and cultural features. However, researches from different countries revealed that there is a difference in the importance of factors belonging to this group and their influence on satisfaction of certain patient cohorts. The second group includes factors that belong to the process of healthcare services delivery and its organization. Moreover, it was found that patient satisfaction level is changing in a waveform. Thus, medical organization should not only try to increase patient satisfaction level but also maintain it. AS a result, it necessary to monitor patient satisfaction with healthcare services. That is why there is a distinct need for the development of a new tool or adaptation of existing instrument of satisfaction measurement, which would be unitized for all medical organizations in the Russian Federation 

Magnetic resonance image examinations in emergency medical care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashiro, Takanobu; Yoshizumi, Tohru; Ogura, Akio; Hongou, Takaharu; Kikumoto, Rikiya

2006-01-01

There is a growing consensus in terms of the need for effective use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnostic devices in emergency medical care. However, a thorough assessment of risk management in emergency medical care is required because of the high magnetic field in the MRI room. To understand the conditions required for the execution of emergency MRI examinations in individual medical facilities, and to prepare guidelines for emergency MRI examinations, we carried out a questionnaire survey concerning emergency MRI examinations. We obtained responses from 71% of 230 medical facilities and used this information in considering a system of emergency MRI examinations. Moreover, some difficulties were experienced in half of the facilities where emergency MRI examinations had been enacted, the main cause of which was the medics. Based on the results of the questionnaire, guidelines are necessary to maintain an urgent system for MRI examinations. Moreover, we were able to comprehend the current state of emergency MRI examinations in other medical facilities through this investigation, and we are preparing a system for the implementation of emergency MRI examinations. (author)

Corruption in the health care system: the circumstantial evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Joseph; Majoor, Jennifer

2002-01-01

Health care systems are under intense scrutiny, and there is an increasing emphasis on patient safety and quality of care in general. Evidence continues to emerge demonstrating that health systems are performing at sub-optimal levels. The evidence includes the under-use, over-use and mis-use of health care services; new standards asking for respect, dignity, honesty and transparency; the corporatization of health; and the existing inequalities in power and health outcomes. Recommendations for improving health care often refer to increasing the level of collaboration and consultation. These strategies are unlikely to remedy the root causes of our ailing health systems if we accept the circumstantial evidence that suggests the system is rotten.

Evidence-based medicine between explicit rationing, medical deontology and rights of patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Frati, P

1998-01-01

Today a "just" health policy is balanced between the problem of the allocation of scarce resources and the priority setting of services, care and cures. Despite technologies and molecular medicine, with their tendency to reach absolute prediction of disease or absence of disease and to cure with predicted efficacy, a large portion of the public refuse the results of experimental procedures and prefer to place trust in so-called alternative medicine or in drugs which are not in the official guide-lines following the principles of evidence-based medicine according to DL Sackett. Juridical problems arise between the rights of free choice of cure and social dimension of Governmental care programs, which include the maximum of benefits (i.e. effective therapies) for a pre-fixed total budget. An explicit rationing only on budgetary bases without rationalisation of medical procedures reduces the rights to care of citizens-patients. Thus, an explicit rationing-rationalisation seems to be the only procedure compatible with the interest of patients in a social security system allocating "scarce" resources.

The physician-administrator as patient: distinctive aspects of medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappell, Mitchell S

2011-01-01

This article examines distinctive aspects of medical care experienced by a 55-year-old hospitalized for quintuple coronary artery bypass surgery who was also a senior physician-administrator (chief of gastroenterology) at the same hospital. The article describes eight distinctive aspects of administrator-physicians as patients, including special patient treatment; exalted patient expectations by hospital personnel; patient suppression of emotions; patient denial; self-doctoring; job stress contributing to disease; self-sacrifice to achieve better health; and rational medical decisions when not under stress. Health-care workers should recognize how these distinctive aspects of medical care and behavior affect administrator-physicians as patients, in order to mitigate their negative effects, potentiate their positive effects, and optimize the care of these patients.

Multipayer patient-centered medical home implementation guided by the chronic care model.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbay, Robert A; Bailit, Michael H; Mauger, David T; Wagner, Edward H; Siminerio, Linda

2011-06-01

A unique statewide multipayer ini Pennsylvania was undertaken to implement the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) guided by the Chronic Care Model (CCM) with diabetes as an initial target disease. This project represents the first broad-scale CCM implementation with payment reform across a diverse range of practice organizations and one of the largest PCMH multipayer initiatives. Practices implemented the CCM and PCMH through regional Breakthrough Series learning collaboratives, supported by Improving Performance in Practice (IPIP) practice coaches, with required monthly quality reporting enhanced by multipayer infrastructure payments. Some 105 practices, representing 382 primary care providers, were engaged in the four regional collaboratives. The practices from the Southeast region of Pennsylvania focused on diabetes patients (n = 10,016). During the first intervention year (May 2008-May 2009), all practices achieved at least Level 1 National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Physician Practice Connections Patient-Centered Medical Home (PPC-PCMH) recognition. There was significant improvement in the percentage of patients who had evidence-based complications screening and who were on therapies to reduce morbidity and mortality (statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors). In addition, there were small but statistically significant improvements in key clinical parameters for blood pressure and cholesterol levels, with the greatest absolute improvement in the highest-risk patients. Transforming primary care delivery through implementation of the PCMH and CCM supported by multipayer infrastructure payments holds significant promise to improve diabetes care.

Practical Diagnosis and Management of Dementia Due to Alzheimer’s Disease in the Primary Care Setting: An Evidence-Based Approach

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Kerwin, Diana R.

2013-01-01

Objective: To review evidence-based guidance on the primary care of Alzheimer’s disease and clinical research on models of primary care for Alzheimer’s disease to present a practical summary for the primary care physician regarding the assessment and management of the disease. Data Sources: References were obtained via search using keywords Alzheimer’s disease AND primary care OR collaborative care OR case finding OR caregivers OR guidelines. Articles were limited to English language from January 1, 1990, to January 1, 2013. Study Selection: Articles were reviewed and selected on the basis of study quality and pertinence to this topic, covering a broad range of data and opinion across geographical regions and systems of care. The most recent published guidelines from major organizations were included. Results: Practice guidelines contained numerous points of consensus, with most advocating a central role for the primary care physician in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Review of the literature indicated that optimal medical and psychosocial care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers may be best facilitated through collaborative models of care involving the primary care physician working within a wider interdisciplinary team. Conclusions: Evidence-based guidelines assign the primary care physician a critical role in the care of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Research on models of care suggests the need for an appropriate medical/nonmedical support network to fulfill this role. Given the diversity and breadth of services required and the necessity for close coordination, nationwide implementation of team-based, collaborative care programs may represent the best option for improving care standards for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. PMID:24392252

Primary care providers and medical homes for individuals with spina bifida.

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Walker, William O

2008-01-01

The contributions of primary care providers to the successful care of children with spina bifida cannot be underestimated. Overcoming systemic barriers to their integration into a comprehensive care system is essential. By providing routine and disability specific care through the structure of a Medical Home, they are often the first line resource and support for individuals and their families. The Medical Home model encourages primary care providers to facilitate discussions on topics as varied as education and employment. Knowledge of specific medical issues unique to this population allows the primary care provider to complement the efforts of other specialty clinics and providers in often neglected areas such as sexual health, obesity and latex sensitization. As individuals with spina bifida live into adulthood, and access to traditional multidisciplinary care models evolves, these skills will take on increasing importance within the scope of providing comprehensive and coordinated care.

Medical tourism and its impact on the US health care system.

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Forgione, Dana A; Smith, Pamela C

2007-01-01

The health care industry within the United States continues to face unprecedented increases in costs, along with the task of providing care to an estimated 46 million uninsured or underinsured patients. These patients, along with both insurers and employers, are seeking to reduce the costs of treatment through international outsourcing of medical and surgical care. Knows as medical tourism, this trend is on the rise, and the US health care system has not fully internalized the effects this will have on its economic structure and policies. The demand for low-cost health care services is driving patients to seek treatment on a globally competitive basis, while balancing important quality of care issues. In this article, we outline some of the issues facing legislators, health care policy makers, providers, and health service researchers regarding the impact of medical tourism on the US health care system.

Principles of medical ethics in supportive care: a reflection.

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O'Hare, Daniel G

2004-02-01

The possibility of medical-moral controversy in contemporary health care delivery is occasioned by the interfacing of expanding technology with both professional and personal value systems, frequent and significant knowledge deficits on the part of health care consumers, and increased circumspection of and economic constraints experienced by health care providers. Particularly in an era of increasing regulatory mandates and the frequent and lamentable decrease in the availability of human, natural, and institutional resources, an understanding of the function of ethical analysis is indigenous to care, which is simultaneously medically appropriate and morally indicated. But while a familiarity with and an appreciation of the potential contribution of ethical reasoning is essential in all health care delivery, it assumes critical importance in supportive care. In that venue, where the rigors and demands of aggressively therapeutic interventions have ceased and the goal and the demeanor of care have shifted to the palliative mode, heightened attention to the principles of medical ethics is necessary for the balancing of rights and responsibilities for health care consumers and providers alike. This issue ultimately can be singularly salient in providing care that is patient centered and directed. Individuals acting as moral agents, suggesting what "ought" to be done in a given situation, either for themselves or as they are involved in rendering or supporting decisions proffered for or by other moral agents, particularly those in extremis, those in the throes of terminal illness following the collapse of the curative mode, need recourse to principles to facilitate their reasoning. Although the employment of each principle of medical ethics offers guidelines for reflection on the most comprehensive and appropriate care, it is attention to autonomy, informed consent, and beneficence that promotes the most effective supportive care. For even as the question of medical

Primary medical care in Irish prisons

OpenAIRE

ALLWRIGHT, SHANE PATRICIA ANN; DARKER, CATHERINE; BARRY, JOSEPH; O'DOWD, THOMAS

2010-01-01

PUBLISHED Background: An industrial dispute between prison doctors and the Irish Prison Service (IPS) took place in 2004. Part of the resolution of that dispute was that an independent review of prison medical and support services be carried out by a University Department of Primary Care. The review took place in 2008 and we report here on the principal findings of that review. Methods: This study utilised a mixed methods approach. An independent expert medical evaluator (one of ...

Telemedicine to Reduce Medical Risk in Austere Medical Environments: The Virtual Critical Care Consultation (VC3) Service.

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Powell, Douglas; McLeroy, Robert D; Riesberg, Jamie; Vasios, William N; Miles, Ethan A; Dellavolpe, Jeffrey; Keenan, Sean; Pamplin, Jeremy C

One of the core capabilities of prolonged field care is telemedicine. We developed the Virtual Critical Care Consult (VC3) Service to provide Special Operations Forces (SOF) medics with on-demand, virtual consultation with experienced critical care physicians to optimize management and improve outcomes of complicated, critically injured or ill patients. Intensive-care doctors staff VC3 continuously. SOF medics access this service via phone or e-mail. A single phone call reaches an intensivist immediately. An e-mail distribution list is used to share information such as casualty images, vital signs flowsheet data, and short video clips, and helps maintain situational awareness among the VC3 critical care providers and other key SOF medical leaders. This real-time support enables direct communication between the remote provider and the clinical subject matter expert, thus facilitating expert management from near the point of injury until definitive care can be administered. The VC3 pilot program has been extensively tested in field training exercises and validated in several real-world encounters. It is an immediately available capability that can reduce medical risk and is scalable to all Special Operations Command forces. 2016.

Pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner care: trace forensic evidence, ano-genital injury, and judicial outcomes.

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Hornor, Gail; Thackeray, Jonathan; Scribano, Philip; Curran, Sherry; Benzinger, Elizabeth

2012-09-01

Although pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners (P-SANEs) have been providing care for over two decades there remain major gaps in the literature describing the quality of P-SANE care and legal outcomes associated with their cases. The purpose of this study was to compare quality indicators of care in a pediatric emergency department (PED) before and after the implementation of a P-SANE program described in terms of trace forensic evidence yield, identification of perpetrator DNA, and judicial outcomes in pediatric acute sexual assault. A retrospective review of medical and legal records of all patients presenting to the PED at Nationwide Children's Hospital with concerns of acute sexual abuse/assault requiring forensic evidence collection from 1/1/04 to 12/31/07 was conducted. Detection and documentation of ano-genital injury, evaluation and documentation of pregnancy status, and testing for N. gonorrhea and C. trachomatis was significantly improved since implementation of the P-SANE Program compared to the historical control. The addition of a P-SANE to the emergency department (ED) provider team improved the quality of care to child/adolescent victims of acute sexual abuse/assault. © 2012 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Immigrant Families, Children With Special Health Care Needs, and the Medical Home.

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Kan, Kristin; Choi, Hwajung; Davis, Matthew

2016-01-01

Immigrant children in the United States historically experience lower-quality health care. Such disparities areconcerning for immigrant children with special health care needs (CSHCNs). Our study assesses the medical home presence for CSHCN by immigrant family type and evaluates which medical home components are associated with disparities. We used the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health, comparing the prevalence and odds of a parent-reported medical home and 5 specific medical home components by immigrant family types using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Foreign-born CSHCNs were less likely than CSHCNs with US-born parents to have a medical home (adjusted odds ratio = 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.85). The adjusted prevalence of having a medical home was 28% among foreign-born CSHCNs (P special needs also had a lower odds of a medical home, compared with children with US-born parents (adjusted odds ratio = 0.62, 0.46-0.83). The medical home component most frequently absent for immigrant children without special needs and CSHCNs with a foreign-born parent was family-centered care. In contrast, foreign-born CSHCNs most often lacked care coordination (adjusted prevalence = 37% versus 56% for CSHCNs with US-born parents; P < .05). Disparities in medical home presence for CSHCNs appear to be exacerbated by immigrant family type. Efforts focused on improving family-centered care and care coordination may provide the greatest benefit for immigrant CSHCNs. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Primary medical care and reductions in addiction severity: a prospective cohort study.

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Saitz, Richard; Horton, Nicholas J; Larson, Mary Jo; Winter, Michael; Samet, Jeffrey H

2005-01-01

To assess whether receipt of primary medical care can lead to improved outcomes for adults with addictions. We studied a prospective cohort of adults enrolled in a randomized trial to improve linkage with primary medical care. Subjects at a residential detoxification unit with alcohol, heroin or cocaine as a substance of choice, and no primary medical care were enrolled. Receipt of primary medical care was assessed over 2 years. Outcomes included (1) alcohol severity, (2) drug severity and (3) any substance use. For the 391 subjects, receipt of primary care (> or = 2 visits) was associated with a lower odds of drug use or alcohol intoxication (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29-0.69, 2 d.f. chi(2)P = 0.002). For 248 subjects with alcohol as a substance of choice, alcohol severity was lower in those who received primary care [predicted mean Addiction Severity Index (ASI) alcohol scores for those reporting > or = 2, 1 and 0 visits, respectively, 0.30, 0.26 and 0.34, P = 0.04]. For 300 subjects with heroin or cocaine as a substance of choice, drug severity was lower in those who received primary care (predicted mean ASI drug scores for those reporting > or = 2, 1 and 0 visits, respectively, 0.13, 0.15 and 0.16, P = 0.01). Receipt of primary medical care is associated with improved addiction severity. These results support efforts to link patients with addictions to primary medical care services.

A Strategic Approach to Medical Care for Exploration Missions

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Canga, Michael A.; Shah, Ronak V.; Mindock, Jennifer A.; Antonsen, Erik L.

2016-01-01

Exploration missions will present significant new challenges to crew health, including effects of variable gravity environments, limited communication with Earth-based personnel for diagnosis and consultation for medical events, limited resupply, and limited ability for crew return. Providing health care capabilities for exploration class missions will require system trades be performed to identify a minimum set of requirements and crosscutting capabilities, which can be used in design of exploration medical systems. Medical data, information, and knowledge collected during current space missions must be catalogued and put in formats that facilitate querying and analysis. These data are used to inform the medical research and development program through analysis of risk trade studies between medical care capabilities and system constraints such as mass, power, volume, and training. Medical capability as a quantifiable variable is proposed as a surrogate risk metric and explored for trade space analysis that can improve communication between the medical and engineering approaches to mission design. The resulting medical system design approach selected will inform NASA mission architecture, vehicle, and subsystem design for the next generation of spacecraft.

Expanding Continuous Quality Improvement Capacity in the Medical Intensive Care Unit: Prehealth Volunteers as a Solution.

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Priest, Kelsey C; Lobingier, Hannah; McCully, Nancy; Lombard, Jackie; Hansen, Mark; Uchiyama, Makoto; Hagg, Daniel S

2016-01-01

Health care delivery systems are challenged to support the increasing demands for improving patient safety, satisfaction, and outcomes. Limited resources and staffing are common barriers for making significant and sustained improvements. At Oregon Health & Science University, the medical intensive care unit (MICU) leadership team faced internal capacity limitations for conducting continuous quality improvement, specifically for the implementation and evaluation of the mobility portion of an evidence-based care bundle. The MICU team successfully addressed this capacity challenge using the person power of prehealth volunteers. In the first year of the project, 52 trained volunteers executed an evidence-based mobility intervention for 305 critically ill patients, conducting more than 200 000 exercise repetitions. The volunteers contributed to real-time evaluation of the project, with the collection of approximately 26 950 process measure data points. Prehealth volunteers are an untapped resource for effectively expanding internal continuous quality improvement capacity in the MICU and beyond.

Beyond the standard of care: a new model to judge medical negligence.

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Brenner, Lawrence H; Brenner, Alison Tytell; Awerbuch, Eric J; Horwitz, Daniel

2012-05-01

The term "standard of care" has been used in law and medicine to determine whether medical care is negligent. However, the precise meaning of this concept is often unclear for both medical and legal professionals. Our purposes are to (1) examine the limitations of using standard of care as a measure of negligence, (2) propose the use of the legal concepts of justification and excuse in developing a new model of examining medical conduct, and (3) outline the framework of this model. We applied the principles of tort liability set forth in the clinical and legal literature to describe the difficulty in applying standard of care in medical negligence cases. Using the concepts of justification and excuse, we propose a judicial model that may promote fair and just jury verdicts in medical negligence cases. Contrary to conventional understanding, medical negligence is not simply nonconformity to norms. Two additional concepts of legal liability, ie, justification and excuse, must also be considered to properly judge medical conduct. Medical conduct is justified when the benefits outweigh the risks; the law sanctions the conduct and encourages future conduct under similar circumstances. Excuse, on the other hand, relieves a doctor of legal liability under specific circumstances even though his/her conduct was not justified. Standard of care is an inaccurate measure of medical negligence because it is premised on the faulty notion of conformity to norms. An alternative judicial model to determine medical negligence would (1) eliminate standard of care in medical malpractice law, (2) reframe the court instruction to jurors, and (3) establish an ongoing consensus committee on orthopaedic principles of negligence.

Evaluating an evidence-based curriculum in undergraduate palliative care education: piloting a phase II exploratory trial for a complex intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schulz Christian

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background By 2013 Palliative Care will become a mandatory examination subject in the medical curriculum in Germany. There is a pressing need for effective and well-designed curricula and assessment methods. Debates are on going as how Undergraduate Palliative Care Education (UPCE should be taught and how knowledge and skills should be assessed. It is evident by this time that the development process of early curricula in the US and UK has led to a plethora of diverse curricula which seem to be partly ineffective in improving the care for the seriously ill and dying offered by newly qualified doctors, as is demonstrated in controlled evaluations. The goals of this study were to demonstrate an evidence-based approach towards developing UPCE curricula and investigate the change in medical students’ self-perceived readiness to deal with palliative care patients and their families. Methods To evaluate the effects of the UPCE curriculum we chose a prospective, controlled, quasi-experimental, pre, retrospective-pre, post study design. A total of n = 37 3rd and 4th –year medical students were assigned to the intervention group (n = 15; 4th -year and to the control group (n = 22; 3rd-year. Resting on the self-efficacy concept of Bandura the measurement was conducted by a refined test-battery based on two independent measurements (the revised Collet-Lester-Fear-of-Death-Scale and the instrument of the “Program in Palliative Care Education and Practice” at Harvard Medical School including 68 items altogether in a five-point Likert-scale. These items were designed to test elementary skills in caring for the dying and their relatives as perceived by medical undergraduates. Datasets from both groups were analysed by paired and independent two-sample t-test. The TREND statement for reporting non-randomized evaluations was applied for reporting on this quasi-experimental study. Results Three constructs showed statistically

Bridging the gap to evidence-based eye care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Wormald

2004-10-01

Full Text Available In the first article in this series, I touched on the enormous challenge to make access to information equal for those who need it at the time and place when they need it. Only if this is achieved can we successfully promote an evidence-based approach to health care. The move towards open access publishing is taking us some way to achieving this. However, there are further gaps to be bridged if we are to turn eye care workers into evidence-based practitioners. We can define an evidence-based practitioner as one who combines their individual knowledge and expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.

Pharmacist medication reviews to improve safety monitoring in primary care patients.

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Gallimore, Casey E; Sokhal, Dimmy; Zeidler Schreiter, Elizabeth; Margolis, Amanda R

2016-06-01

Patients prescribed psychotropic medications within primary care are at risk of suboptimal monitoring. It is unknown whether pharmacists can improve medication safety through targeted monitoring of at risk populations. Access Community Health Centers implemented a quality improvement pilot project that included pharmacists on an integrated care team to provide medication reviews for patients. Aims were to determine whether inclusion of a pharmacist performing medication reviews within a primary care behavioral health (PCBH) practice is feasible and facilitates safe medication use. Pharmacists performed medication reviews of the electronic health record for patients referred for psychiatry consultation. Reviews were performed 1-3 months following consultation and focused on medications with known suboptimal monitoring rates. Reviews were documented within the EHR and routed to the primary care provider. Primary outcome measures were change in percentage up-to-date on monitoring and AIMS assessment, and at risk of experiencing drug interaction(s) between baseline and 3 months postreview. Secondary outcome was provider opinion of medication reviews collected via electronic survey. Reviews were performed for 144 patients. Three months postreview, percentage up-to-date on recommended monitoring increased 18% (p = .0001), at risk for drug interaction decreased 20% (p improved safety monitoring of psychotropic medications. Results identify key areas for improvement that other clinics considering integration of similar pharmacy services should consider. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Primary medical care in Irish prisons

OpenAIRE

Barry, Joe M; Darker, Catherine D; Thomas, David E; Allwright, Shane PA; O'Dowd, Tom

2010-01-01

Abstract Background An industrial dispute between prison doctors and the Irish Prison Service (IPS) took place in 2004. Part of the resolution of that dispute was that an independent review of prison medical and support services be carried out by a University Department of Primary Care. The review took place in 2008 and we report here on the principal findings of that review. Methods This study utilised a mixed methods approach. An independent expert medical evaluator (one of the authors, DT)...

20 CFR 416.993 - Medical evidence in continuing disability review cases.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... evidence. Before deciding that your disability has ended, we will develop a complete medical history... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Medical evidence in continuing disability... SECURITY INCOME FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED Determining Disability and Blindness Continuing Or...

Criteria of medical care evaluation in daily in-patient department in pediatrics

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Grozdova T.U.

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The research goal is to work out criteria for the evaluation of medical care quality. Materials included 386 medical cards of daily in-patients, 216 medical cards of in-patients; 602 cards of analysis of case histories; 4 computer data bases. Methods of mathematical statistics were successfully used in the study. The comparative method of data analysis was applied to the research work. Intensity of medical care in values from 0,1 to 0,5 conditional units corresponded to requirements of criterion of estimation of medical care quality. Parameters of medicinal treatment were close to the standards of treatment in interval from 44,4 to 100%, as criterion of quality of medical care. Specific weight of apparatus and instrumental researches constituted an interval from 7, 4% to 22, 6%, forming corresponding criterion. Interval of effectiveness according to standards of consultations is from 0, 26 to 1, 04 conditional units. In conclusion the article stated that the characteristics for criteria to evaluate medical care in daily in-patient departments were worked out on the basis of indices obtained during the research work

Palliative care education for medical students: Differences in course evolution, organisation, evaluation and funding: A survey of all UK medical schools.

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Walker, Steven; Gibbins, Jane; Paes, Paul; Adams, Astrid; Chandratilake, Madawa; Gishen, Faye; Lodge, Philip; Wee, Bee; Barclay, Stephen

2017-06-01

A proportion of newly qualified doctors report feeling unprepared to manage patients with palliative care and end-of-life needs. This may be related to barriers within their institution during undergraduate training. Information is limited regarding the current organisation of palliative care teaching across UK medical schools. To investigate the evolution and structure of palliative care teaching at UK medical schools. Anonymised, web-based questionnaire. Settings/participants: Results were obtained from palliative care course organisers at all 30 UK medical schools. The palliative care course was established through active planning (13/30, 43%), ad hoc development (10, 33%) or combination of approaches (7, 23%). The place of palliative care teaching within the curriculum varied. A student-selected palliative care component was offered by 29/30 (97%). All medical schools sought student feedback. The course was reviewed in 26/30 (87%) but not in 4. Similarly, a course organiser was responsible for the palliative care programme in 26/30 but not in 4. A total of 22 respondents spent a mean of 3.9 h (median 2.5)/week in supporting/delivering palliative care education (organisers received titular recognition in 18/27 (67%; no title 9 (33%); unknown 3 (11%)). An academic department of Palliative Medicine existed in 12/30 (40%) medical schools. Funding was not universally transparent. Palliative care teaching was associated with some form of funding in 20/30 (66%). Development, organisation, course evaluation and funding for palliative care teaching at UK medical schools are variable. This may have implications for delivery of effective palliative care education for medical students.

Safety in home care: A research protocol for studying medication management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Easty Anthony

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patient safety is an ongoing global priority, with medication safety considered a prevalent, high-risk area of concern. Yet, we have little understanding of the supports and barriers to safe medication management in the Canadian home care environment. There is a clear need to engage the providers and recipients of care in studying and improving medication safety with collaborative approaches to exploring the nature and safety of medication management in home care. Methods A socio-ecological perspective on health and health systems drives our iterative qualitative study on medication safety with elderly home care clients, family members and other informal caregivers, and home care providers. As we purposively sample across four Canadian provinces: Alberta (AB, Ontario (ON, Quebec (QC and Nova Scotia (NS, we will collect textual and visual data through home-based interviews, participant-led photo walkabouts of the home, and photo elicitation sessions at clients' kitchen tables. Using successive rounds of interpretive description and human factors engineering analyses, we will generate robust descriptions of managing medication at home within each provincial sample and across the four-province group. We will validate our initial interpretations through photo elicitation focus groups with home care providers in each province to develop a refined description of the phenomenon that can inform future decision-making, quality improvement efforts, and research. Discussion The application of interpretive and human factors lenses to the visual and textual data is expected to yield findings that advance our understanding of the issues, challenges, and risk-mitigating strategies related to medication safety in home care. The images are powerful knowledge translation tools for sharing what we learn with participants, decision makers, other healthcare audiences, and the public. In addition, participants engage in knowledge exchange

An Expanded Conceptual Framework of Medical Students' Primary Care Career Choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfarrwaller, Eva; Audétat, Marie-Claude; Sommer, Johanna; Maisonneuve, Hubert; Bischoff, Thomas; Nendaz, Mathieu; Baroffio, Anne; Junod Perron, Noëlle; Haller, Dagmar M

2017-11-01

In many countries, the number of graduating medical students pursuing a primary care career does not meet demand. These countries face primary care physician shortages. Students' career choices have been widely studied, yet many aspects of this process remain unclear. Conceptual models are useful to plan research and educational interventions in such complex systems.The authors developed a framework of primary care career choice in undergraduate medical education, which expands on previously published models. They used a group-based, iterative approach to find the best way to represent the vast array of influences identified in previous studies, including in a recent systematic review of the literature on interventions to increase the proportion of students choosing a primary care career. In their framework, students enter medical school with their personal characteristics and initial interest in primary care. They complete a process of career decision making, which is subject to multiple interacting influences, both within and outside medical school, throughout their medical education. These influences are stratified into four systems-microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem-which represent different levels of interaction with students' career choices.This expanded framework provides an updated model to help understand the multiple factors that influence medical students' career choices. It offers a guide for the development of new interventions to increase the proportion of students choosing primary care careers and for further research to better understand the variety of processes involved in this decision.

Quality of medication use in primary care - mapping the problem, working to a solution: a systematic review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willson Alan

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The UK, USA and the World Health Organization have identified improved patient safety in healthcare as a priority. Medication error has been identified as one of the most frequent forms of medical error and is associated with significant medical harm. Errors are the result of the systems that produce them. In industrial settings, a range of systematic techniques have been designed to reduce error and waste. The first stage of these processes is to map out the whole system and its reliability at each stage. However, to date, studies of medication error and solutions have concentrated on individual parts of the whole system. In this paper we wished to conduct a systematic review of the literature, in order to map out the medication system with its associated errors and failures in quality, to assess the strength of the evidence and to use approaches from quality management to identify ways in which the system could be made safer. Methods We mapped out the medicines management system in primary care in the UK. We conducted a systematic literature review in order to refine our map of the system and to establish the quality of the research and reliability of the system. Results The map demonstrated that the proportion of errors in the management system for medicines in primary care is very high. Several stages of the process had error rates of 50% or more: repeat prescribing reviews, interface prescribing and communication and patient adherence. When including the efficacy of the medicine in the system, the available evidence suggested that only between 4% and 21% of patients achieved the optimum benefit from their medication. Whilst there were some limitations in the evidence base, including the error rate measurement and the sampling strategies employed, there was sufficient information to indicate the ways in which the system could be improved, using management approaches. The first step to improving the overall quality would

[Value-based cancer care. From traditional evidence-based decision making to balanced decision making within frameworks of shared values].

Science.gov (United States)

Palazzo, Salvatore; Filice, Aldo; Mastroianni, Candida; Biamonte, Rosalbino; Conforti, Serafino; Liguori, Virginia; Turano, Salvatore; De Simone, Rosanna; Rovito, Antonio; Manfredi, Caterina; Minardi, Stefano; Vilardo, Emmanuelle; Loizzo, Monica; Oriolo, Carmela

2016-04-01

Clinical decision making in oncology is based so far on the evidence of efficacy from high-quality clinical research. Data collection and analysis from experimental studies provide valuable insight into response rates and progression-free or overall survival. Data processing generates valuable information for medical professionals involved in cancer patient care, enabling them to make objective and unbiased choices. The increased attention of many scientific associations toward a more rational resource consumption in clinical decision making is mirrored in the Choosing Wisely campaign against the overuse or misuse of exams and procedures of little or no benefit for the patient. This cultural movement has been actively promoting care solutions based on the concept of "value". As a result, the value-based decision-making process for cancer care should not be dissociated from economic sustainability and from ethics of the affordability, also given the growing average cost of the most recent cancer drugs. In support of this orientation, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has developed innovative and "complex" guidelines based on values, defined as "evidence blocks", with the aim of assisting the medical community in making overall sustainable choices.

Relationship Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Care and Medication Continuity.

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Brinkman, William B; Baum, Rebecca; Kelleher, Kelly J; Peugh, James; Gardner, William; Lichtenstein, Phil; Langberg, Joshua; Epstein, Jeffery N

2016-04-01

To describe the relationships between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care practices and subsequent medication use. A retrospective cohort from a random sample of medical records in 50 pediatric practices with 188 providers, including 1,352 children who started ADHD medication, was studied. Independent variables included physician behaviors related to medication titration and monitoring of treatment response. Primary outcomes were number of days covered with ADHD medication during the first year of treatment and time from starting medicine to the first 30-day gap in medication supply. Multilevel modeling and Cox proportional hazards regression models were conducted. Children had an average medication supply of 217 days in the first year. Half experienced a 30-day gap in medication supply in the first 3 months. Nearly three-fourths had a medication adjustment in the first year with the first adjustment usually being a dosage change. The average time to the first medication adjustment was over 3 months. Physician's first contact with parents occurred in the first month of treatment for less than half, with the average time being over 2 months. Little variation related to ADHD care quality was accounted for at the physician level. Early titration and early contact were related to greater medication supply and continuity of treatment. Earlier physician-delivered ADHD care (e.g., contact with parent after starting medication and medication adjustment) is related to greater medication supply and continuity. It remains to be determined whether interventions that improve the quality of titration and monitoring practices for children with ADHD would also improve medication continuity. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ICU nurses' oral-care practices and the current best evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

DeKeyser Ganz, Freda; Fink, Naomi Farkash; Raanan, Ofra; Asher, Miriam; Bruttin, Madeline; Nun, Maureen Ben; Benbinishty, Julie

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the oral-care practices of ICU nurses, to compare those practices with current evidence-based practice, and to determine if the use of evidence-based practice was associated with personal demographic or professional characteristics. A national survey of oral-care practices of ICU nurses was conducted using a convenience sample of 218 practicing ICU nurses in 2004-05. The survey instrument included questions about demographic and professional characteristics and a checklist of oral-care practices. Nurses rated their perceived level of priority concerning oral care on a scale from 0 to 100. A score was computed representing the sum of 14 items related to equipment, solutions, assessments, and techniques associated with the current best evidence. This score was then statistically analyzed using ANOVA to determine differences of EBP based on demographic and professional characteristics. The most commonly used equipment was gauze pads (84%), followed by tongue depressors (55%), and toothbrushes (34%). Chlorhexidine was the most common solution used (75%). Less than half (44%) reported brushing their patients' teeth. The majority performed an oral assessment before beginning oral care (71%); however, none could describe what assessment tool was used. Only 57% of nurses reported documenting their oral care. Nurses rated oral care of intubated patients with a priority of 67+/-27.1. Wide variations were noted within and between units in terms of which techniques, equipment, and solutions were used. No significant relationships were found between the use of an evidence-based protocol and demographic and professional characteristics or with the priority given to oral care. While nurses ranked oral care a high priority, many did not implement the latest evidence into their current practice. The level of research utilization was not related to personal or professional characteristics. Therefore attempts should be made to encourage all

Primary care careers among recent graduates of research-intensive private and public medical schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Phillip A; Xu, Shuai; Ayanian, John Z

2013-06-01

Despite a growing need for primary care physicians in the United States, the proportion of medical school graduates pursuing primary care careers has declined over the past decade. To assess the association of medical school research funding with graduates matching in family medicine residencies and practicing primary care. Observational study of United States medical schools. One hundred twenty-one allopathic medical schools. The primary outcomes included the proportion of each school's graduates from 1999 to 2001 who were primary care physicians in 2008, and the proportion of each school's graduates who entered family medicine residencies during 2007 through 2009. The 25 medical schools with the highest levels of research funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2010 were designated as "research-intensive." Among research-intensive medical schools, the 16 private medical schools produced significantly fewer practicing primary care physicians (median 24.1% vs. 33.4%, p schools. In contrast, the nine research-intensive public medical schools produced comparable proportions of graduates pursuing primary care careers (median 36.1% vs. 36.3%, p = 0.87) and matching in family medicine residencies (median 7.4% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.37) relative to the other 66 public medical schools. To meet the health care needs of the US population, research-intensive private medical schools should play a more active role in promoting primary care careers for their students and graduates.

A tertiary care-primary care partnership model for medically complex and fragile children and youth with special health care needs.

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Gordon, John B; Colby, Holly H; Bartelt, Tera; Jablonski, Debra; Krauthoefer, Mary L; Havens, Peter

2007-10-01

To evaluate the impact of a tertiary care center special needs program that partners with families and primary care physicians to ensure seamless inpatient and outpatient care and assist in providing medical homes. Up to 3 years of preenrollment and postenrollment data were compared for patients in the special needs program from July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2005. A tertiary care center pediatric hospital and medical school serving urban and rural patients. A total of 227 of 230 medically complex and fragile children and youth with special needs who had a wide range of chronic disorders and were enrolled in the special needs program. Care coordination provided by a special needs program pediatric nurse case manager with or without a special needs program physician. Preenrollment and postenrollment tertiary care center resource utilization, charges, and payments. A statistically significant decrease was found in the number of hospitalizations, number of hospital days, and tertiary care center charges and payments, and an increase was found in the use of outpatient services. Aggregate data revealed a decrease in hospital days from 7926 to 3831, an increase in clinic visits from 3150 to 5420, and a decrease in tertiary care center payments of $10.7 million. The special needs program budget for fiscal year 2005 had a deficit of $400,000. This tertiary care-primary care partnership model improved health care and reduced costs with relatively modest institutional support.

Prospects for rebuilding primary care using the patient-centered medical home.

Science.gov (United States)

Landon, Bruce E; Gill, James M; Antonelli, Richard C; Rich, Eugene C

2010-05-01

Existing research suggests that models of enhanced primary care lead to health care systems with better performance. What the research does not show is whether such an approach is feasible or likely to be effective within the U.S. health care system. Many commentators have adopted the model of the patient-centered medical home as policy shorthand to address the reinvention of primary care in the United States. We analyze potential barriers to implementing the medical home model for policy makers and practitioners. Among others, these include developing new payment models, as well as the need for up-front funding to assemble the personnel and infrastructure required by an enhanced non-visit-based primary care practice and methods to facilitate transformation of existing practices to functioning medical homes.

Payment reform in the patient-centered medical home: Enabling and sustaining integrated behavioral health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Benjamin F; Ross, Kaile M; Davis, Melinda M; Melek, Stephen P; Kathol, Roger; Gordon, Patrick

2017-01-01

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a promising framework for the redesign of primary care and more recently specialty care. As defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the PCMH framework has 5 attributes: comprehensive care, patient-centered care, coordinated care, accessible services, and quality and safety. Evidence increasingly demonstrates that for the PCMH to best achieve the Triple Aim (improved outcomes, decreased cost, and enhanced patient experience), treatment for behavioral health (including mental health, substance use, and life stressors) must be integrated as a central tenet. However, challenges to implementing the PCMH framework are compounded for real-world practitioners because payment reform rarely happens concurrently. Nowhere is this more evident than in attempts to integrate behavioral health clinicians into primary care. As behavioral health clinicians find opportunities to work in integrated settings, a comprehensive understanding of payment models is integral to the dialogue. This article describes alternatives to the traditional fee for service (FFS) model, including modified FFS, pay for performance, bundled payments, and global payments (i.e., capitation). We suggest that global payment structures provide the best fit to enable and sustain integrated behavioral health clinicians in ways that align with the Triple Aim. Finally, we present recommendations that offer specific, actionable steps to achieve payment reform, complement PCMH, and support integration efforts through policy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Knowledge of primary health care and career choice at primary health care settings among final year medical students - challenges to human resources for health in Vietnam.

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Giang, Kim Bao; Minh, Hoang Van; Hien, Nguyen Van; Ngoc, Nguyen Minh; Hinh, Nguyen Duc

2015-01-01

There is a shortage of medical doctors in primary health care (PHC) settings in Vietnam. Evidence about the knowledge medical students have about PHC and their career decision-making is important for making policy in human resources for health. The objective of this study was to analyse knowledge and attitudes about PHC among medical students in their final year and their choice to work in PHC after graduation. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 final year general medical students from Hanoi Medical University. Self-administered interviews were conducted. Key variables were knowledge, awareness of the importance of PHC and PHC career choices. Descriptive and analytic statistics were performed. Students had essential knowledge of the concept and elements of PHC and were well aware of its importance. However, only one-third to one half of them valued PHC with regard to their professional development or management opportunities. Less than 1% of students would work at commune or district health facilities after graduation. This study evidences challenges related to increasing the number of medical doctors working in PHC settings. Immediate and effective interventions are needed to make PHC settings more attractive and to encourage medical graduates to start and continue a career in PHC.

Knowledge and Attitude of Medical Students and Lecturers Toward Evidence-Based Medicine: Evidence from Shiraz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Ghanizadeh

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: The application of diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic evidence in day-to-day management of patients has been in constant focus during the last two decades. This study is an attempt to investigate attitude and knowledge of post-graduated medical students and lecturers towards evidence-based medicine (EBM and assess their preferences to clinical practice guidelines.Methods: The designed questionnaire was posted to the randomly selected post-graduated medical students and lecturers of medical department at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.Results: There were one hundred sixty subjects (60% who answered the questionnaire. Sixty nine percent were male, 46.3% were lecturers, and 53.2% were post-graduated medical students.About 66% of the respondents have heard of the term of EBM. Only 7.8% of the respondents have already attended to a course to learn the skills of EBM and one hundred twenty five (78.1% like to attend a course to learn the skills of EBM. The most common perceived reason for use of EBM was lack of enough motivation.Conclusion: They have not yet integrated the use of EBM into their practices widely. Their knowledge is at a high risk of becoming out of data. Education of EBM should be a hot topic among educationalplanning programmers until it becomes a part of university educational curriculum in Iran.Keywords: POST-GRADUATED MEDICAL STUDENT, LECTURER, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE, IRAN.

Evidence-Based Care for Couples With Infertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, Eleanor L; Hershberger, Patricia E; Bergh, Paul A

2016-01-01

When couples cannot achieve pregnancy, they often seek health care from medical and nursing specialists. The care the couple receives begins with a thorough assessment to determine the possible cause of infertility and to plan appropriate care to ensure the best chance for the couple to have a biological child. In this article, we provide an overview of the etiology and evaluation of infertility, the various treatment options available, and the appropriate clinical implications. Copyright © 2016 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using attachment theory in medical settings: implications for primary care physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, Lisa M; Tomek, Sara; Newman, Caroline R

2012-02-01

Mental health researchers, clinicians and clinical psychologists have long considered a good provider-patient relationship to be an important factor for positive treatment outcomes in a range of therapeutic settings. However, primary care physicians have been slow to consider how attachment theory may be used in the context of patient care in medical settings. In the current article, John Bowlby's attachment theory and proposed attachment styles are proffered as a framework to better understand patient behaviors, patient communication styles with physicians and the physician-patient relationship in medical settings. The authors recommend how primary care physicians and other health care providers can translate attachment theory to enhance practice behaviors and health-related communications in medical settings.

Strengthening training in rural practice in Germany: new approach for undergraduate medical curriculum towards sustaining rural health care.

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Holst, Jens; Normann, Oliver; Herrmann, Markus

2015-01-01

After decades of providing a dense network of quality medical care, Germany is facing an increasing shortage of medical doctors in rural areas. Current graduation rates of generalists do not counterbalance the loss due to retirement. Informed by international evidence, different strategies to ensure rural medical care are under debate, including innovative teaching approaches during undergraduate training. The University of Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt was the first medical school in Germany to offer a rural elective for graduate students. During the 2014 summer semester, 14 medical students attended a two-weekend program in a small village in Northern Saxony-Anhalt that allowed them to become more familiar with a rural community and rural health issues. The elective course raised a series of relevant topics for setting up rural practice and provided students with helpful insight into living and working conditions in rural practice. Preliminary evaluations indicate that the rural medicine course allowed medical students to reduce pre-existing concerns and had positive impact on their willingness to set up a rural medical office after graduation. Even short-term courses in rural practice can help reduce training-related barriers that prevent young physicians from working in rural areas. Undergraduate medical training is promising to attenuate the emerging undersupply in rural areas.

A spoonful of care ethics: The challenges of enriching medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

van Reenen, Eva; van Nistelrooij, Inge

2017-01-01

Nursing Ethics has featured several discussions on what good care comprises and how to achieve good care practices. We should "nurse" ethics by continuously reflecting on the way we "do" ethics, which is what care ethicists have been doing over the past few decades and continue to do so. Ethics is not limited to nursing but extends to all caring professions. In 2011, Elin Martinsen argued in this journal that care should be included as a core concept in medical ethical terminology because of "the harm to which patients may be exposed owing to a lack of care in the clinical encounter," specifically between doctors and patients. However, Martinsen leaves the didactical challenges arising from such a venture open for further enquiry. In this article, we explore the challenges arising from implementing care-ethical insights into medical education. Medical education in the Netherlands is investigated through a "care-ethical lens". This means exploring the possibility of enriching medical education with care-ethical insights, while at the same time discovering possible challenges emerging from such an undertaking. Participants and research context: This paper has been written from the academic context of a master in care ethics and policy. Ethical considerations: We have tried to be fair and respectful to the authors discussed and take a neutral stance towards the findings portrayed. Several challenges are identified, which we narrow down to two types: didactical and non-didactical. In order to overcome these challenges, we must not underestimate the possible resistance to a paradigm shift. Our efforts should mainly target the learning that takes place in the clinical phases of medical training and should be accompanied by the creation of awareness in healthcare practice.

42 CFR 431.12 - Medical care advisory committee.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... other representatives of the health professions who are familiar with the medical needs of low-income... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medical care advisory committee. 431.12 Section 431.12 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...

The Nigerian health care system: Need for integrating adequate medical intelligence and surveillance systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Menizibeya Osain Welcome

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives : As an important element of national security, public health not only functions to provide adequate and timely medical care but also track, monitor, and control disease outbreak. The Nigerian health care had suffered several infectious disease outbreaks year after year. Hence, there is need to tackle the problem. This study aims to review the state of the Nigerian health care system and to provide possible recommendations to the worsening state of health care in the country. To give up-to-date recommendations for the Nigerian health care system, this study also aims at reviewing the dynamics of health care in the United States, Britain, and Europe with regards to methods of medical intelligence/surveillance. Materials and Methods : Databases were searched for relevant literatures using the following keywords: Nigerian health care, Nigerian health care system, and Nigerian primary health care system. Additional keywords used in the search were as follows: United States (OR Europe health care dynamics, Medical Intelligence, Medical Intelligence systems, Public health surveillance systems, Nigerian medical intelligence, Nigerian surveillance systems, and Nigerian health information system. Literatures were searched in scientific databases Pubmed and African Journals OnLine. Internet searches were based on Google and Search Nigeria. Results : Medical intelligence and surveillance represent a very useful component in the health care system and control diseases outbreak, bioattack, etc. There is increasing role of automated-based medical intelligence and surveillance systems, in addition to the traditional manual pattern of document retrieval in advanced medical setting such as those in western and European countries. Conclusion : The Nigerian health care system is poorly developed. No adequate and functional surveillance systems are developed. To achieve success in health care in this modern era, a system well grounded in routine

Evaluation of a program to improve diabetes care through intensified care management activities and diabetes medication copayment reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kogut, Stephen J; Johnson, Scott; Higgins, Tara; Quilliam, Brian

2012-05-01

Medication copayment reduction can be integrated with disease management programs to incentivize patient engagement in chronic care management. While disease management programs in diabetes have been evaluated across a range of settings and designs, less is known regarding the effectiveness of copayment reduction as a component of disease management. To evaluate the short-term results of a diabetes-focused disease management program that included copayment reduction, care coordination, and patient goal setting, focusing on rates of evidence-based care processes and all-cause pharmacy and health care costs. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island offered large employer groups the opportunity to participate in a diabetes disease management initiative that featured reduced copayments (from $7/$25/$40 for generic, tier 2, and tier 3 drugs, respectively, to $0 for generic and $0-$2 for brand drugs) for diabetes-related medications. In return for the copayment reduction, participants agreed to the following: (a) participate in care coordination with a case manager, (b) have an annual physical examination, (c) have a hemoglobin A1c blood test at least twice annually, and (d) have a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) test at least once annually. Patients received personalized support provided by a registered nurse and dietician, disease-related education provided by nurses, and intensified case management services, including working with a health coach to establish healthy behavioral change goals. All study subjects were aged 18 years or older and had at least 1 ICD-9-CM code for diabetes and at least 1 claim for an antidiabetic drug during a 12-month measurement period, which was each subject's most recent 12-month period of continuous enrollment from January 1, 2008, through May 31, 2010. Administrative claims data were used to determine the percentage of intervention (participating) and nonintervention (nonparticipating) subjects from among all of the plan

Structuring payment to medical homes after the affordable care act.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Samuel T; Abrams, Melinda K; Baron, Richard J; Berenson, Robert A; Rich, Eugene C; Rosenthal, Gary E; Rosenthal, Meredith B; Landon, Bruce E

2014-10-01

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a leading model of primary care reform, a critical element of which is payment reform for primary care services. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) has emerged as a model of delivery system reform, and while there is theoretical alignment between the PCMH and ACOs, the discussion of physician payment within each model has remained distinct. Here we compare payment for medical homes with that for accountable care organizations, consider opportunities for integration, and discuss implications for policy makers and payers considering ACO models. The PCMH and ACO are complementary approaches to reformed care delivery: the PCMH ultimately requires strong integration with specialists and hospitals as seen under ACOs, and ACOs likely will require a high functioning primary care system as embodied by the PCMH. Aligning payment incentives within the ACO will be critical to achieving this integration and enhancing the care coordination role of primary care in these settings.

Medical tourism: A snapshot of evidence on treatment abroad.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunt, Neil; Horsfall, Daniel; Hanefeld, Johanna

2016-06-01

The scoping review focuses on medical tourism, whereby consumers elect to travel across borders or to overseas destinations to receive their treatment. Such treatments include: cosmetic and dental surgery; cardio, orthopaedic and bariatric surgery; IVF; and organ and tissue transplantation. The review assesses the emerging focus of research evidence post-2010. The narrative review traverses discussion on medical tourism definitions and flows, consumer choice, clinical quality and outcomes, and health systems implications. Attention is drawn to gaps in the research evidence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The urban transition and the evolution of the medical care delivery system in America.

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Knox, P L; Bohland, J; Shumsky, N L

1983-01-01

This essay traces the evolution of the American urban medical care delivery system and examines the implications in terms of social and spatial variations in accessibility to medical care. It is suggested that the foundations of the present medical care delivery system were laid during the urban transformation which took place in the latter part of the nineteenth century, when changes in the division of labor, specialization, the role of the family, urban transportation technology and attitudes to social protectionism interacted with changes in science, medical technology and professional organization to produce radical changes in both the settings used to provide medical care and their relative accessibility to different sub-groups of the population. The medical care delivery system is thus interpreted largely as a product of the overall dynamic of urbanization rather than of scientific discovery, medical technology and the influence of key medical practitioners and professional organizations.

Access to patient-centered medical home among Ohio's Children with Special Health Care Needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Conrey, Elizabeth J; Seidu, Dazar; Ryan, Norma J; Chapman, Dj Sam

2013-06-01

Medical homes deliver primary care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family centered, coordinated, compassionate and culturally effective. Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) require a wide range of support to maintain health, making medical home access particularly important. We sought to understand independent risk factors for lacking access. We analyzed Ohio, USA data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (2005-2006). Among CSHCN, 55.6% had medical home access. The proportion achieving each medical home component was highest for having a personal doctor/nurse and lowest for receiving coordinated care, family-centered care and referrals. Specific subsets of CSHCN were significantly and independently more likely to lack medical home access: Hispanic (AOR=3.08), moderate/high severity of difficulty (AOR=2.84), and any public insurance (AOR=1.60). Efforts to advance medical home access must give special attention to these CSHCN populations and improvements must be made to referral access, family-centered care, and care coordination.

[Medical care for the burnt in modern local military conflicts].

Science.gov (United States)

Sidel'nikov, V O; Paramonov, B A; Tatarin, S N

2002-07-01

The article is devoted to the experience of treatment of the servicemen who burned during the hostilities in Afghanistan (1979-1989), Tadjikistan (1992-1994) and in Republic of Chechnya (1994-2996). Medical care rendered in 18,921 cases of burns and combined trauma (the burn prevailed) is analyzed: 1201--in Afghanistan, 205--in Tadjikistan and 415--in Republic of Chechnya. In the structure of sanitary losses of surgical character the burned persons constituted 2.5% in Afghanistan, 7.0%--in Tadjikistan and 3.9%--in Republic of Chechnya. The most effective was the medical-evacuation system in Afghanistan. The optimal medical-evacuation system during the local armed conflicts and wars is the evacuation consisted of two stages: first medical aid--specialized medical care.

The effect of physician staffing model on patient outcomes in a medical progressive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, E J; Damaghi, N; Shakespeare, W G; Sherman, M S

2016-04-01

Although evidence supports the impact of intensivist physician staffing in improving intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes, the optimal coverage for progressive care units (PCU) is unknown. We sought to determine how physician staffing models influence outcomes for intermediate care patients. We conducted a retrospective observational comparison of patients admitted to the medical PCU of an academic hospital during 12-month periods of high-intensity and low-intensity staffing. A total of 318 PCU patients were eligible for inclusion (143 high-intensity and 175 low-intensity). We found that low-intensity patients were more often stepped up from the emergency department and floor, whereas high-intensity patients were ICU transfers (61% vs 42%, P = .001). However, Mortality Probability Model scoring was similar between the 2 groups. In adjusted analysis, there was no association between intensity of staffing and hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-1.99; P = .69) or PCU mortality (odds ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.38-2.45; P = .69). There was also no difference in subsequent ICU admission rates or in PCU length of stay. We found no evidence that high-intensity intensivist physician staffing improves outcomes for intermediate care patients. In a strained critical care system, our study raises questions about the role of the intensivist in the graded care options between intensive and conventional ward care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exposure management systems in emergencies as comprehensive medical care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinohara, Teruhiko

2000-01-01

The emergency management of nuclear hazards relies on a comprehensive medical care system that includes accident prevention administration, environmental monitoring, a health physics organization, and a medical institution. In this paper, the care organization involved in the criticality accident at Tokai-mura is described, and the problems that need to be examined are pointed out. In that incident, even the expert was initially utterly confused and was unable to take appropriate measures. The author concluded that the members of the care organization were all untrained for dealing with nuclear hazards and radiation accidents. The education and training of personnel at the job site are important, and they are even more so for the leaders. Revisions of the regional disaster prevention plans and care manual are needed. (K.H.)

Current evidence on antenatal care provision for women with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Homeyard, Claire; Montgomery, Elsa; Chinn, Deborah; Patelarou, Evridiki

2016-01-01

changing attitudes, alongside integration, more independent living and recognition of rights to family life have meant a steady rise in women with intellectual disabilities becoming pregnant. However, existing evidence shows that women with intellectual disabilities are less likely to seek or attend for regular antenatal care. This population experiences poorer maternal wellbeing and worse pregnancy outcomes compared to the general population, including preterm and low-birthweight babies. to identify and review the existing evidence on the provision of antenatal care among women with intellectual disabilities. a systematic search strategy was formulated using key Medical Sub-Headings terms and related text words for pregnancy, antenatal care and intellectual disability. Comprehensive searches dating back to 1980 using pre-determined criteria followed by a hand search of reference lists and citations were undertaken. Data were extracted using a data extraction form and methodological quality assessed using the framework developed by Caldwell et al. (2011). A three stage textual narrative synthesis was used to integrate the findings from the included studies. searches identified 16 papers that met the inclusion criteria. A majority of the papers focused on women's experience of pregnancy and antenatal care with a paucity of papers identified on midwives knowledge and experience. The four broad themes of the analysis and synthesis performed included: In the Family Way ('I've a baby inside. I've got a life inside of me.׳); Knowledge and advocacy ('...everyone was looking at one another and no one was talking to me...'); Midwives educational needs ('...helpful to have guidance...') and Midwives Attitudes ('...women with [intellectual disabilities]...should not be pregnant'). significant gaps in the evidence base were apparent, however evidence was identified which showed that intellectually disabled pregnant women struggle to understand antenatal information

Medical Care and Your 2- to 3-Year-Old

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... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Medical Care and Your 2- to 3-Year-Old ... as pain caused by an ear infection Common Medical Problems Young children have an average of 6 ...

Medical Care and Your 4- to 5-Year-Old

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... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Medical Care and Your 4- to 5-Year-Old ... pain, such as from an ear infection Common Medical Problems Problems often found in this age group ...

Evidence-based medicine and the development of medical libraries in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Michael Bailou; Cheng, Aijun; Ma, Lu

2009-07-01

This article elaborates on the opportunities and challenges that evidence-based medicine (EBM) has posed to the development of medical libraries and summarizes the research in the field of evidence-based medicine and achievements of EBM practice in Chinese medical libraries. Issues such as building collections of information resources, transformation of information services models, human resources management, and training of medical librarians, clinicians, and EBM users are addressed. In view of problems encountered in EBM research and practice, several suggestions are made about important roles medical libraries can play in the future development of EBM in China.

[Medical care of injuries caused intentionally by domestic violence].

Science.gov (United States)

Híjar-Medina, Martha; Flores-Regata, Lilí; Valdez-Santiago, Rosario; Blanco, Julia

2003-01-01

To describe and analyze the causes of emergency care services for intentional injuries, especially those caused by domestic violence, at four public hospitals in Mexico City. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 1998, which included variables related with the victim, the aggressor, and the medical care provided to the victim. A questionnaire was applied to individuals who had been injured intentionally. Statistical analysis of data consisted of simple frequencies, the chi 2 test, and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A logistic regression model was also used to adjust for variables associated with the injury requiring emergency medical care. A total of 598 cases of intentional injuries were analyzed, 16% of which were due to domestic violence. Females were the most frequent victims (76%), followed by young people between 15 and 29 years old (46%). Variables associated with medical care due to injuries by domestic violence were: age 30 or older (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.13-4.90), female gender (OR 8.60 95% CI 4.25-17.40), history of injuries (OR 4.93 95% CI 2.03-11.95), home as place of occurrence (OR 36.25 95% CI 16.59-79.18), and low education level (OR 2.33 95% CI 1.03-5.26). Study findings are consistent with those from other studies and call for enforcement of the Mexican Official Norm for Medical Care of Domestic Violence (Norma Oficial Mexicana para la Atención Médica de la Violencia Familiar) established in March 2000.

The Culture of General Palliative Nursing Care in Medical Departments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergenholtz, Heidi; Jarlbæk, Lene; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi

2015-01-01

in medical departments. Methods: An ethnographic study, using Spradley's 12-step method, with observational field studies and interviews with nurses from three medical departments in a Danish regional hospital. Findings: Three cultural themes emerged from the analysis, focusing on the setting, the practice...... and the nurses' reflections on GPNC: (1) GPNC provided in a treatment setting, (2) transition to loving care and the licence to perform palliative care (PC) and (3) potential for team improvement. Conclusions: GPNC as a culture in medical departments seemed to be embedded in a setting not suited for dying...

Evidence-based medicine and hospital reform: tracing origins back to Florence Nightingale.

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Aravind, Maya; Chung, Kevin C

2010-01-01

The use of reliable evidence to evaluate health care interventions has gained strong support within the medical community and in the field of plastic surgery in particular. Evidence-based medicine aims to improve health care and reduce costs through the use of sound clinical evidence in evaluating treatments, procedures, and outcomes. The field is hardly new, however, and most trace its origins back to the work of Cochrane in the 1970s and Sackett in the 1990s. Though she wouldn't know it, Florence Nightingale was applying the concepts of evidence-based reform to the medical profession more than a century before. She used medical statistics to reveal the nature of infection in hospitals and on the battlefield. Moreover, Nightingale marshaled data and evidence to establish guidelines for health care reform. Tracing the origins of evidence-based medicine back to Nightingale underscores how critical this movement is to improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care today.

Parent Perspective on Care Coordination Services for Their Child with Medical Complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cady, Rhonda G; Belew, John L

2017-06-06

The overarching goal of care coordination is communication and co-management across settings. Children with medical complexity require care from multiple services and providers, and the many benefits of care coordination on health and patient experience outcomes have been documented. Despite these findings, parents still report their greatest challenge is communication gaps. When this occurs, parents assume responsibility for aggregating and sharing health information across providers and settings. A new primary-specialty care coordination partnership model for children with medical complexity works to address these challenges and bridge communication gaps. During the first year of the new partnership, parents participated in focus groups to better understand how they perceive communication and collaboration between the providers and services delivering care for their medically complex child. Our findings from these sessions reflect the current literature and highlight additional challenges of rural families, as seen from the perspective of the parents. We found that parents appreciate when professional care coordination is provided, but this is often the exception and not the norm. Additionally, parents feel that the local health system's inability to care for their medically complex child results in unnecessary trips to urban-based specialty care. These gaps require a system-level approach to care coordination and, consequently, new paradigms for delivery are urgently needed.

Medication administration errors in an intensive care unit in Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agalu Asrat

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medication administration errors in patient care have been shown to be frequent and serious. Such errors are particularly prevalent in highly technical specialties such as the intensive care unit (ICU. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of medication administration errors in the ICU is not studied. Objective To assess medication administration errors in the intensive care unit of Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH, Southwest Ethiopia. Methods Prospective observation based cross-sectional study was conducted in the ICU of JUSH from February 7 to March 24, 2011. All medication interventions administered by the nurses to all patients admitted to the ICU during the study period were included in the study. Data were collected by directly observing drug administration by the nurses supplemented with review of medication charts. Data was edited, coded and entered in to SPSS for windows version 16.0. Descriptive statistics was used to measure the magnitude and type of the problem under study. Results Prevalence of medication administration errors in the ICU of JUSH was 621 (51.8%. Common administration errors were attributed to wrong timing (30.3%, omission due to unavailability (29.0% and missed doses (18.3% among others. Errors associated with antibiotics took the lion's share in medication administration errors (36.7%. Conclusion Medication errors at the administration phase were highly prevalent in the ICU of Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Supervision to the nurses administering medications by more experienced ICU nurses or other relevant professionals in regular intervals is helpful in ensuring that medication errors don’t occur as frequently as observed in this study.

The implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based statewide prehospital pain management protocol developed using the national prehospital evidence-based guideline model process for emergency medical services.

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Brown, Kathleen M; Hirshon, Jon Mark; Alcorta, Richard; Weik, Tasmeen S; Lawner, Ben; Ho, Shiu; Wright, Joseph L

2014-01-01

In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded the development of a model process for the development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) for emergency medical services (EMS). We report on the implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based prehospital pain management protocol developed using this model process. An evidence-based protocol for prehospital management of pain resulting from injuries and burns was reviewed by the Protocol Review Committee (PRC) of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). The PRC recommended revisions to the Maryland protocol that reflected recommendations in the EBG: weight-based dosing and repeat dosing of morphine. A training curriculum was developed and implemented using Maryland's online Learning Management System and successfully accessed by 3,941 paramedics and 15,969 BLS providers. Field providers submitted electronic patient care reports to the MIEMSS statewide prehospital database. Inclusion criteria were injured or burned patients transported by Maryland ambulances to Maryland hospitals whose electronic patient care records included data for level of EMS provider training during a 12-month preimplementation period and a 12-month postimplementation period from September 2010 through March 2012. We compared the percentage of patients receiving pain scale assessments and morphine, as well as the dose of morphine administered and the use of naloxone as a rescue medication for opiate use, before and after the protocol change. No differences were seen in the percentage of patients who had a pain score documented or the percent of patients receiving morphine before and after the protocol change, but there was a significant increase in the total dose and dose in mg/kg administered per patient. During the postintervention phase, patients received an 18% higher total morphine dose and a 14.9% greater mg/kg dose. We demonstrated that the implementation of a revised

Medical tourism's impact on health care equity and access in low- and middle-income countries: making the case for regulation.

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Chen, Y Y Brandon; Flood, Colleen M

2013-01-01

There is currently an evidentiary gap in the scholarship concerning medical tourism's impact on low- and middle-income destination countries (LMICs). This article reviews relevant evidence that exists and concludes that there are signs of correlation between medical tourism and the expansion of private, technology- intensive health care in LMICs, which has largely remained out of reach for the majority of the local patients. In light of this health care inequity between local residents and medical tourists in LMICs, we argue that the presumption should not be in favor of medical tourism and that governments have a legitimate interest in seeking to regulate this industry to ensure that the net effects for their citizens is positive. Moreover, sending countries, particularly those in the developed world, have the responsibility to adopt public policies to diminish demand on the part of their citizens for medical tourism and to work with LMICs to ensure that the growth of medical tourism does not occur at the expense of the poorest of the poor. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Predictors of avoiding medical care and reasons for avoidance behavior.

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Kannan, Viji Diane; Veazie, Peter J

2014-04-01

Delayed medical care has negative health and economic consequences; interventions have focused on appraising symptoms, with limited success in reducing delay. To identify predictors of care avoidance and reasons for avoiding care. Using the Health Information National Trends Survey (2007), we conducted logistic regressions to identify predictors of avoiding medical visits deemed necessary by the respondents; and, we then conducted similar analyses on reasons given for avoidance behavior. Independent variables included geographic, demographic, socioeconomic, personal health, health behavior, health care system, and cognitive characteristics. Approximately one third of adults avoided doctor visits they had deemed necessary. Although unadjusted associations existed, avoiding needed care was not independently associated with geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics. Avoidance behavior is characterized by low health self-efficacy, less experience with both quality care and getting help with uncertainty about health, having your feelings attended to by your provider, no usual source of care, negative affect, smoking daily, and fatalistic attitude toward cancer. Reasons elicited for avoidance include preference for self-care or alternative care, dislike or distrust of doctors, fear or dislike of medical treatments, time, and money; respondents also endorsed discomfort with body examinations, fear of having a serious illness, and thoughts of dying. Distinct predictors distinguish each of these reasons. Interventions to reduce patient delay could be improved by addressing the health-related behavioral, belief, experiential, and emotional traits associated with delay. Attention should also be directed toward the interpersonal communications between patients and providers.

Follow-up Medical Care After Cancer Treatment

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... Data Conducting Clinical Trials Statistical Tools and Data Terminology Resources NCI Data Catalog Cryo-EM NCI's Role ... Questions to Ask About Cancer Research Follow-Up Medical Care Once you’re done with cancer treatment, ...

Medical curricula and preventing childhood obesity: pooling the resources of medical students and primary care to inform curricula.

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Wylie, Ann; Furmedge, Daniel S; Appleton, Amber; Toop, Helen; Coats, Tom

2009-03-01

The study aimed to firstly provide a small self-selecting group of medical students with the opportunity to explore current approaches and opportunities addressing the prevention of childhood obesity and, secondly, to consider what aspects could be part of the taught curriculum. Medical students in their third and fourth year were invited to self-design special study modules (SSMs) exploring interventions and processes addressing the growing concern about childhood obesity. One student looked at the role of the primary care teams, two looked at community-based opportunities to improve physical activity in urban areas where there is significant deprivation and one student explored the complex role of the media as a social determinant of dietary patterns and sedentary behaviour. Primary care health professionals questioned their role in regard to raising the topic of obesity in the consultation and had limited awareness of current NICE guidelines and local interventions for referral. Local authority physical activity programmes have an important role in preventing and tackling obesity and although the media are regulated, there is limited impact on reducing obesity. Conversely, the influence of the media is complex and enables medical students and teachers to be aware of some of the social determinants influencing health-related behaviour. About a third of UK GP practices have some role in medical undergraduate education. It will therefore be inevitable that students will encounter GPs working with prevention and management of childhood obesity, however limited, and this will increasingly be part of the teaching agenda, whether formal and planned or opportunistic. Curricula could include being familiar with the evidence that informs NICE guidelines, observing these guidelines being implemented and their limitations, awareness of local schemes for referral to prevent or treat obesity and the influence of wider determinants on diet and physical activity behaviour

Factors associated with medication information in diabetes care: differences in perceptions between patients and health care professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Längst G

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Gerda Längst,1 Hanna Marita Seidling,2,3 Marion Stützle,2,3 Dominik Ose,1 Ines Baudendistel,1 Joachim Szecsenyi,1 Michel Wensing,1,4 Cornelia Mahler1 1Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; 2Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; 4Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Nijmegen, the Netherlands Purpose: This qualitative study in patients with type 2 diabetes and health care professionals (HCPs aimed to investigate which factors they perceive to enhance or impede medication information provision in primary care. Similarities and differences in perspectives were explored.Methods: Eight semistructured focus groups were conducted, four with type 2 diabetes patients (n=25 and four with both general practitioners (n=13 and health care assistants (n=10. Sessions were audio and video recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to computer-aided qualitative content analysis.Results: Diabetes patients and HCPs broadly highlighted similar factors as enablers for satisfactory medication information delivery. Perceptions substantially differed regarding impeding factors. Both patients and HCPs perceived it to be essential to deliver tailored information, to have a trustful and continuous patient–provider relationship, to regularly reconcile medications, and to provide tools for medication management. However, substantial differences in perceptions related to impeding factors included the causes of inadequate information, the detail required for risk-related information, and barriers to medication reconciliation. Medication self-management was a prevalent topic among patients, whereas HCPs’ focus was on fulfilling therapy and medication management responsibilities

[Beyond the horizon of health-care delivery - medical marketing].

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Hoffmann, M; Großterlinden, L G; Rueger, J M; Ruecker, A H

2014-12-01

The progress in medical health care and demographic changes cause increasing financial expenses. The rising competitive environment on health-care delivery level calls for economisation and implementation of a professional marketing set-up in order to ensure long-term commercial success. The survey is based on a questionnaire-analysis of 100 patients admitted to a trauma department at a university hospital in Germany. Patients were admitted either for emergency treatment or planned surgical procedures. Competence and localisation represent basic criteria determing hospital choice with a varying focus in each collective. Both collectives realise a trend toward economisation, possibly influencing medical care decision-making. Patients admitted for planned surgical treatment are well informed about their disease, treatment options and specialised centres. The main source of information is the internet. Both collectives claim amenities during their in-hospital stay. Increasing economisation trends call for a sound and distinct marketing strategy. The marketing has to be focused on the stakeholders needs. Concomitant factors are patient satisfaction, the establishment of cooperation networks and maintenance/improvement of medical health-care quality. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A qualitative study exploring issues related to medication management in residential aged care facilities.

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Ahmad Nizaruddin, Mariani; Omar, Marhanis-Salihah; Mhd-Ali, Adliah; Makmor-Bakry, Mohd

2017-01-01

Globally, the population of older people is on the rise. As families are burdened with the high cost of care for aging members, demand is increasing for medical care and nursing homes. Thus, medication management is crucial to ensure that residents in a care center benefit and assist the management of the care center in reducing the burden of health care. This study is aimed to qualitatively explore issues related to medication management in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). A total of 11 stakeholders comprising health care providers, administrators, caretakers and residents were recruited from a list of registered government, nongovernmental organization and private RACFs in Malaysia from September 2016 to April 2017. An exploratory qualitative study adhering to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies was conducted. In-depth interview was conducted with consent of all participants, and the interviews were audio recorded for later verbatim transcription. Observational analysis was also conducted in a noninterfering manner. Three themes, namely medication use process, personnel handling medications and culture, emerged in this study. Medication use process highlighted an unclaimed liability for residents' medication by the RACFs, whereas personnel handling medications were found to lack sufficient training in medication management. Culture of the organization did affect the medication safety and quality improvement. The empowerment of the residents in their medication management was limited. There were unclear roles and responsibility of who manages the medication in the nongovernment-funded RACFs, although they were well structured in the private nursing homes. There are important issues related to medication management in RACFs which require a need to establish policy and guidelines.

Acute care in Tanzania: Epidemiology of acute care in a small community medical centre

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Rachel M. Little

2013-12-01

Discussion: Respiratory infections, malaria, and skin or soft tissue infections are leading reasons for seeking medical care at a small community medical centre in Arusha, Tanzania, highlighting the burden of infectious diseases in this type of facility. Males may be more likely to present with trauma, burns, and laceration injuries than females. Many patients required one or no procedures to determine their diagnosis, most treatments administered were inexpensive, and most patients were discharged home, suggesting that providing acute care in this setting could be accomplished with limited resources.

Surgeons' and Trauma Care Physicians' Perception of the Impact of the Globalization of Medical Education on Quality of Care in Lima, Peru.

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LaGrone, Lacey N; Isquith-Dicker, Leah N; Huaman Egoavil, Eduardo; Rodriguez Castro, Manuel J A; Allagual, Alfredo; Revoredo, Fernando; Mock, Charles N

2017-03-01

. Short-term overseas training of surgeons from low- and middle-income countries may improve care in the surgeons' country of origin through the acquisition of skills and altered expectations for excellence. Prioritization of evidence-based medical education is necessary given widespread internet access and thus clinician exposure to variable quality medical information. Finally, the establishment of centers of excellence in low- and middle-income countries may address the eroded sense of agency attributable to globalization and offer a local example of world-class surgical outcomes, diminishing surgeons' most frequently cited reason for emigration: access to better surgical training.

International medical law and its impact on the ukrainian health care legislation.

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Pashkov, Vitalii; Udovyka, Larysa; Dichko, Hanna

2018-01-01

Introduction: The Ukrainian state has an urgent necessity of rapid search for essentially new legal and organizational forms of the healthcare system, reform of the legal regulation of healthcare services provision. In the context of European integration, the advancement of the medical industry reform is closely related to consideration of international standards and norms of health care. The aim: To study the impact of international medical law on the Ukrainian health care legislation. Materials and methods: International and Ukrainian regulations and documents on health care were used in the research. System and structural, functional and legal comparative methods as well as systematization, analysis and synthesis were determinative in the research process. Review: Systematization of international documents on health care was made. The major problems in the Ukrainian health care legislation were determined in terms of their conformity with the international legislative norms. The expediency of the Medical Code adoption was grounded and its structure was defined. Conclusions: Most health care international acts are ratified by Ukraine and their provisions are implemented in the legislation. Simultaneously, there is a row of problems, which hinder the Ukrainian health care development and place obstacles in the way of European integration. To remove these obstacles, it is expedient to create a codified act - the Medical Code, which would systematize the provisions of the current medical laws and regulations and fill in the existing gaps in the legal regulation of health care.

The use of medical scribes in health care settings: a systematic review and future directions.

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Shultz, Cameron G; Holmstrom, Heather L

2015-01-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) hold promise to improve productivity, quality, and outcomes; however, using EHRs can be cumbersome, disruptive to workflow, and off-putting to patients and clinicians. One proposed solution to this problem is the use of medical scribes. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the literature investigating the effect of medical scribes on health care productivity, quality, and outcomes. Implications for future research are discussed. A keyword search of the Cochrane Library, OvidSP Medline database, and Embase database from January 2000 through September 2014 was performed using the terms scribe or scribes in the title or abstract. To ensure no potentially eligible articles were missed, a second search was done using Google Scholar. English-language, peer-reviewed studies assessing the effect of medical scribes on health care productivity, quality, and outcomes were retained. Identified studies were assessed and the findings reported. Five studies were identified. Three studies assessed scribe use in an emergency department, 1 in a cardiology clinic, and 1 in a urology clinic. Two of 3 studies reported scribes had no effect on patient satisfaction; 2 of 2 reported improved clinician satisfaction; 2 of 3 reported an increase in the number of patients; 2 of 2 reported an increase in the number of relative value units per hour; 1 of 1 reported increased revenue; 3 of 4 reported improved time-related efficiencies; and 1 of 1 reported improved patient-clinician interactions. Available evidence suggests medical scribes may improve clinician satisfaction, productivity, time-related efficiencies, revenue, and patient-clinician interactions. Because the number of studies is small, and because each study suffered important limitations, confidence in the reliability of the evidence is significantly constrained. Given the nascent state of the science, methodologically rigorous and sufficiently powered studies are greatly needed. �

Acute Care Use for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions in High-Cost Users of Medical Care with Mental Illness and Addictions.

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Hensel, Jennifer M; Taylor, Valerie H; Fung, Kinwah; Yang, Rebecca; Vigod, Simone N

2018-01-01

The role of mental illness and addiction in acute care use for chronic medical conditions that are sensitive to ambulatory care management requires focussed attention. This study examines how mental illness or addiction affects risk for repeat hospitalization and/or emergency department use for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) among high-cost users of medical care. A retrospective, population-based cohort study using data from Ontario, Canada. Among the top 10% of medical care users ranked by cost, we determined rates of any and repeat care use (hospitalizations and emergency department [ED] visits) between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012, for 14 consensus established ACSCs and compared them between those with and without diagnosed mental illness or addiction during the 2 years prior. Risk ratios were adjusted (aRR) for age, sex, residence, and income quintile. Among 314,936 high-cost users, 35.9% had a mental illness or addiction. Compared to those without, individuals with mental illness or addiction were more likely to have an ED visit or hospitalization for any ACSC (22.8% vs. 19.6%; aRR, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-1.23). They were also more likely to have repeat ED visits or hospitalizations for the same ACSC (6.2% vs. 4.4% of those without; aRR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.44-1.53). These associations were stronger in stratifications by mental illness diagnostic subgroup, particularly for those with a major mental illness. The presence of mental illness and addiction among high-cost users of medical services may represent an unmet need for quality ambulatory and primary care.

Free medical care and consumer protection.

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Agrawal, Aniket Deepak; Banerjee, Arunabha

2011-01-01

This paper will examine the question of whether patients, who receive free medical care, whether from private charitable or governmental hospitals, can claim rights as 'consumers' under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The issue will be discussed from a constitutional perspective as well as that of the law of torts.

Medical Services: Medical Record Administration and Health Care Documentation

Science.gov (United States)

1999-05-03

medical condition caused by it. Explain conditions, such as traumatic bursitis, traumatic neuritis, traumatic myositis , or traumatic synovitis, by... histopathologic findings have a direct bearing on diagnosis and treatment (AR 40-31/BUMEDINST 6510.2F/AFR 160-55). In such cases, the attending physician...Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and Armed Forces Histopathology Centers AR 40–35 Preventive Dentistry AR 40–48 Nonphysician Health Care Providers

Efforts made for health and medical care by International Atomic Energy Agency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Naoyuki

2016-01-01

The author, being a former senior medical officer and currently a consultant of the Nuclear Medicine Section, the Division of Human Health, the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to standardize the isotope and radiation technologies for health and medical care and transfer them to the IAEA member states to address their health issues, participated in an international cooperation project to survey the current situation of the health and medical care in Viet Nam and exchange opinions with the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office Viet Nam Office and the Viet Nam Health Department coordinated by the Japan Public Health Association from 10th to 15th January 2016 and perceived efforts made and action plans for the health and medical care in Viet Nam by the international organizations of the IAEA and the World Health Organization (WHO). IAEA has verified various isotopes and radiation technologies up to now in the international field of health and medical care and has being offered them to the member states under the sustainable frame work of technical co-operation. However, the activity in the health and medical care field of IAEA is hardly recognized by the public health professionals in Japan. In order to attain the objective to improve and maintain human health under the umbrella of the United Nations system, the peaceful use of nuclear technology has been promoted in the field of non-electric applications of nuclear energy including human health and medical care by the IAEA. There are several discrepancies seen with the field and tactics of health and medical care between the IAEA and the WHO. In terms of measures to fight NCDs which should be an urgent issue in most of the member states, a comprehensive approach is often needed beyond the capability of IAEA as isotopes and radiation technologies. The IAEA should strive to solve issues on human health and medical care maintaining much

Pre-hospital care after a seizure: Evidence base and United Kingdom management guidelines.

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Osborne, Andrew; Taylor, Louise; Reuber, Markus; Grünewald, Richard A; Parkinson, Martin; Dickson, Jon M

2015-01-01

Seizures are a common presentation to pre-hospital emergency services and they generate significant healthcare costs. This article summarises the United Kingdom (UK) Ambulance Service guidelines for the management of seizures and explores the extent to which these guidelines are evidence-based. Summary of the Clinical Practice Guidelines of the UK Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee relating to the management of seizures. Review of the literature relating to pre-hospital management of seizure emergencies. Much standard practice relating to the emergency out of hospital management of patients with seizures is drawn from generic Advanced Life Support (ALS) guidelines although many patients do not need ALS during or after a seizure and the benefit of many ALS interventions in seizure patients remains to be established. The majority of studies identified pertain to medical treatment of status epilepticus. These papers show that benzodiazepines are safe and effective but it is not possible to draw definitive conclusions about the best medication or the optimal route of administration. The evidence base for current pre-hospital guidelines for seizure emergencies is incomplete. A large proportion of patients are transported to hospital after a seizure but many of these may be suitable for home management. However, there is very little research into alternative care pathways or criteria that could be used to help paramedics avoid transport to hospital. More research is needed to improve care for people after a seizure and to improve the cost-effectiveness of the healthcare systems within which they are treated. Copyright © 2014 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Care bundle for ventilator-associated pneumonia in a medical intensive care unit in Northern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Ping Zeng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP occurs in patients requiring mechanical ventilators for more than 48 h. VAP is the most common nosocomial infection and the leading cause of complications and death in intensive care units (ICUs. Materials and Methods: Two historical comparison groups of 375 patients who used mechanical ventilators for more than 48 h in the medical ICU (MICU from December 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012 and December 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014 were enrolled in this study. There were 194 adult patients in the control group that received traditional care, and there were 181 patients in the experimental VAP care bundle group. Our VAP care bundle entailed several preventive strategies including daily assessments of sedation, daily consideration of weaning and extubation by the doctors and respiratory therapists charged with the care of the patients, maintenance of the intra-cuff pressure values at approximately 20-30 cm H 2 O, hand hygiene, daily oral hygiene, personal protective equipment for suctioning, the placement of patients in semi-recumbent positions with the head of the bed elevated to at least 30°, aspiration of an endotracheal tube and oral cavity prior to position changes, daily cleaning of the ventilator and suction bottle with sterile distilled water, weekly replacement of the ventilator circuit and heater, sterilization of the circuit by pasteurization, and the use of an independent care room. The data were collected by reviewing the patients′ medical records and by retrieving information from the Nosocomial Infection Control Unit of one medical center in Northern Taiwan. Results: The incidence of VAP in the VAP care bundle group (0.281 cases per 1000 ventilator days was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.495 cases per 1000 ventilator days. We estimated that the occurrence of VAP in the MICU increased the medical costs by an average of NT $68317 per patient. Conclusions: VAP care bundle is an

The Usability and Effectiveness of Mobile Health Technology–Based Lifestyle and Medical Intervention Apps Supporting Health Care During Pregnancy: Systematic Review

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Rosman, Ageeth N; van Beukering, Monique DM; Kok, Marjolein

2018-01-01

Background A growing number of mobile health (mHealth) technology–based apps are being developed for personal lifestyle and medical health care support, of which several apps are related to pregnancy. Evidence on usability and effectiveness is limited but crucial for successful implementation. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the usability, that is, feasibility and acceptability, as well as effectiveness of mHealth lifestyle and medical apps to support health care during pregnancy in high-income countries. Feasibility was defined as the actual use, interest, intention, and continued use; perceived suitability; and ability of users to carry out the activities of the app. Acceptability was assessed by user satisfaction, appreciation, and the recommendation of the app to others. Methods We performed a systematic review searching the following electronic databases for studies on mHealth technology–based apps in maternal health care in developed countries: EMBASE, MEDLINE Epub (Ovid), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. All included studies were scored on quality, using the ErasmusAGE Quality Score or the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research. Main outcome measures were usability and effectiveness of mHealth lifestyle and medical health care support apps related to pregnancy. All studies were screened by 2 reviewers individually, and the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement were followed. Results Our search identified 4204 titles and abstracts, of which 2487 original studies remained after removing duplicates. We performed full-text screening of 217 studies, of which 29 were included in our study. In total, 19 out of 29 studies reported on mHealth apps to adopt healthy lifestyles and 10 out of 29 studies to support medical care. The lifestyle apps evaluated in 19 studies reported on usability and effectiveness: 10 studies reported positive on acceptability, and 14

Primary care team communication networks, team climate, quality of care, and medical costs for patients with diabetes: A cross-sectional study.

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Mundt, Marlon P; Agneessens, Filip; Tuan, Wen-Jan; Zakletskaia, Larissa I; Kamnetz, Sandra A; Gilchrist, Valerie J

2016-06-01

Primary care teams play an important role in providing the best quality of care to patients with diabetes. Little evidence is available on how team communication networks and team climate contribute to high quality diabetes care. To determine whether primary care team communication and team climate are associated with health outcomes, health care utilization, and associated costs for patients with diabetes. A cross-sectional survey of primary care team members collected information on frequency of communication with other care team members about patient care and on team climate. Patient outcomes (glycemic, cholesterol, and blood pressure control, urgent care visits, emergency department visits, hospital visit days, medical costs) in the past 12 months for team diabetes patient panels were extracted from the electronic health record. The data were analyzed using nested (clinic/team/patient) generalized linear mixed modeling. 155 health professionals at 6 U.S. primary care clinics participated from May through December 2013. Primary care teams with a greater number of daily face-to-face communication ties among team members were associated with 52% (rate ratio=0.48, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.94) fewer hospital days and US$1220 (95% CI: -US$2416, -US$24) lower health-care costs per team diabetes patient in the past 12 months. In contrast, for each additional registered nurse (RN) who reported frequent daily face-to-face communication about patient care with the primary care practitioner (PCP), team diabetes patients had less-controlled HbA1c (Odds ratio=0.83, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.99), increased hospital days (RR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.03), and higher healthcare costs (β=US$877, 95% CI: US$42, US$1713). Shared team vision, a measure of team climate, significantly mediated the relationship between team communication and patient outcomes. Primary care teams which relied on frequent daily face-to-face communication among more team members, and had a single RN communicating patient care

Primary care team communication networks, team climate, quality of care, and medical costs for patients with diabetes: A cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

Mundt, Marlon P.; Agneessens, Filip; Tuan, Wen-Jan; Zakletskaia, Larissa I.; Kamnetz, Sandra A.; Gilchrist, Valerie J.

2016-01-01

Background Primary care teams play an important role in providing the best quality of care to patients with diabetes. Little evidence is available on how team communication networks and team climate contribute to high quality diabetes care. Objective To determine whether primary care team communication and team climate are associated with health outcomes, health care utilization, and associated costs for patients with diabetes. Methods A cross-sectional survey of primary care team members collected information on frequency of communication with other care team members about patient care and on team climate. Patient outcomes (glycemic, cholesterol, and blood pressure control, urgent care visits, emergency department visits, hospital visit days, medical costs) in the past 12 months for team diabetes patient panels were extracted from the electronic health record. The data were analyzed using nested (clinic/team/patient) generalized linear mixed modeling. Participants 155 health professionals at 6 U.S. primary care clinics participated from May through December 2013. Results Primary care teams with a greater number of daily face-to-face communication ties among team members were associated with 52% (Rate Ratio=0.48, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.94) fewer hospital days and US$1220 (95% CI: -US$2416, -US$24) lower health-care costs per team diabetes patient in the past 12 months. In contrast, for each additional registered nurse (RN) who reported frequent daily face-to-face communication about patient care with the primary care practitioner (PCP), team diabetes patients had less-controlled HbA1c (Odds Ratio=0.83, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.99), increased hospital days (RR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.03), and higher healthcare costs (β=US$877, 95% CI: US$42, US$1713). Shared team vision, a measure of team climate, significantly mediated the relationship between team communication and patient outcomes. Conclusions Primary care teams which relied on frequent daily face-to-face communication among more

Nurses' medication administration practices at two Singaporean acute care hospitals.

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Choo, Janet; Johnston, Linda; Manias, Elizabeth

2013-03-01

This study examined registered nurses' overall compliance with accepted medication administration procedures, and explored the distractions they faced during medication administration at two acute care hospitals in Singapore. A total of 140 registered nurses, 70 from each hospital, participated in the study. At both hospitals, nurses were distracted by personnel, such as physicians, radiographers, patients not under their care, and telephone calls, during medication rounds. Deviations from accepted medication procedures were observed. At one hospital, the use of a vest during medication administration alone was not effective in avoiding distractions during medication administration. Environmental factors and distractions can impact on the safe administration of medications, because they not only impair nurses' level of concentration, but also add to their work pressure. Attention should be placed on eliminating distractions through the use of appropriate strategies. Strategies that could be considered include the conduct of education sessions with health professionals and patients about the importance of not interrupting nurses while they are administering medications, and changes in work design. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The Heart of the Matter of Opinion and Evidence: The Value of Evidence-Based Medicine

OpenAIRE

Masvidal, Daniel; Lavie, Carl J.

2012-01-01

Evidence-based medicine is an important aspect of continuing medical education. This article reviews previous and current examples of conflicting topics that evidence-based medicine has clarified to allow us to provide the best possible patient care.

Improving Access and Systems of Care for Evidence-Based Childhood Obesity Treatment: Conference Key Findings and Next Steps

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Wilfley, Denise E.; Staiano, Amanda E.; Altman, Myra; Lindros, Jeanne; Lima, Angela; Hassink, Sandra G.; Dietz, William H.; Cook, Stephen

2017-01-01

Objectives To improve systems of care to advance implementation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for childhood obesity treatment (i.e. clinicians offer/refer children with obesity to intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions of >25 hours over 6–12 months to improve weight status) and to expand payment for these services. Methods In July 2015, forty-three cross-sector stakeholders attended a conference supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, American Academy of Pediatrics Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight, and The Obesity Society. Plenary sessions presenting scientific evidence and clinical and payment practices were interspersed with breakout sessions to identify consensus recommendations. Results Consensus recommendations for childhood obesity treatment included: family-based multicomponent behavioral therapy; integrated care model; and multi-disciplinary care team. The use of evidence-based protocols, a well-trained healthcare team, medical oversight, and treatment at or above the minimum dose (e.g. >25 hours) are critical components to ensure effective delivery of high-quality care and to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss. Approaches to secure reimbursement for evidence-based obesity treatment within payment models were recommended. Conclusion Continued cross-sector collaboration is crucial to ensure a unified approach to increase payment and access for childhood obesity treatment and to scale-up training to ensure quality of care. PMID:27925451

Parent Perspective on Care Coordination Services for Their Child with Medical Complexity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rhonda G. Cady

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The overarching goal of care coordination is communication and co-management across settings. Children with medical complexity require care from multiple services and providers, and the many benefits of care coordination on health and patient experience outcomes have been documented. Despite these findings, parents still report their greatest challenge is communication gaps. When this occurs, parents assume responsibility for aggregating and sharing health information across providers and settings. A new primary-specialty care coordination partnership model for children with medical complexity works to address these challenges and bridge communication gaps. During the first year of the new partnership, parents participated in focus groups to better understand how they perceive communication and collaboration between the providers and services delivering care for their medically complex child. Our findings from these sessions reflect the current literature and highlight additional challenges of rural families, as seen from the perspective of the parents. We found that parents appreciate when professional care coordination is provided, but this is often the exception and not the norm. Additionally, parents feel that the local health system’s inability to care for their medically complex child results in unnecessary trips to urban-based specialty care. These gaps require a system-level approach to care coordination and, consequently, new paradigms for delivery are urgently needed.

Medical tourism in India: perceptions of physicians in tertiary care hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Qadeer, Imrana; Reddy, Sunita

2013-12-17

Senior physicians of modern medicine in India play a key role in shaping policies and public opinion and institutional management. This paper explores their perceptions of medical tourism (MT) within India which is a complex process involving international demands and policy shifts from service to commercialisation of health care for trade, gross domestic profit, and foreign exchange. Through interviews of 91 physicians in tertiary care hospitals in three cities of India, this paper explores four areas of concern: their understanding of MT, their views of the hospitals they work in, perceptions of the value and place of MT in their hospital and their views on the implications of MT for medical care in the country. An overwhelming majority (90%) of physicians in the private tertiary sector and 74.3 percent in the public tertiary sector see huge scope for MT in the private tertiary sector in India. The private tertiary sector physicians were concerned about their patients alone and felt that health of the poor was the responsibility of the state. The public tertiary sector physicians' however, were sensitive to the problems of the common man and felt responsible. Even though the glamour of hi-tech associated with MT dazzled them, only 35.8 percent wanted MT in their hospitals and a total of 56 percent of them said MT cannot be a public sector priority. 10 percent in the private sector expressed reservations towards MT while the rest demanded state subsidies for MT. The disconnect between their concern for the common man and professionals views on MT was due to the lack of appreciation of the continuum between commercialisation, the denial of resources to public hospitals and shift of subsidies to the private sector. The paper highlights the differences and similarities in the perceptions and context of the two sets of physicians, presents evidence, that questions the support for MT and finally analyzes some key implications of MT on Indian health services, ethical

Medical tourism in india: perceptions of physicians in tertiary care hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Senior physicians of modern medicine in India play a key role in shaping policies and public opinion and institutional management. This paper explores their perceptions of medical tourism (MT) within India which is a complex process involving international demands and policy shifts from service to commercialisation of health care for trade, gross domestic profit, and foreign exchange. Through interviews of 91 physicians in tertiary care hospitals in three cities of India, this paper explores four areas of concern: their understanding of MT, their views of the hospitals they work in, perceptions of the value and place of MT in their hospital and their views on the implications of MT for medical care in the country. An overwhelming majority (90%) of physicians in the private tertiary sector and 74.3 percent in the public tertiary sector see huge scope for MT in the private tertiary sector in India. The private tertiary sector physicians were concerned about their patients alone and felt that health of the poor was the responsibility of the state. The public tertiary sector physicians’ however, were sensitive to the problems of the common man and felt responsible. Even though the glamour of hi-tech associated with MT dazzled them, only 35.8 percent wanted MT in their hospitals and a total of 56 percent of them said MT cannot be a public sector priority. 10 percent in the private sector expressed reservations towards MT while the rest demanded state subsidies for MT. The disconnect between their concern for the common man and professionals views on MT was due to the lack of appreciation of the continuum between commercialisation, the denial of resources to public hospitals and shift of subsidies to the private sector. The paper highlights the differences and similarities in the perceptions and context of the two sets of physicians, presents evidence, that questions the support for MT and finally analyzes some key implications of MT on Indian health services, ethical

[Intensive care medicine on medical undergraduation: student's perspective].

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Alessandro de Moura; Albuquerque, Ligia Carvalho; Bitencourt, Almir Galvão Vieira; Rolim, Carlos Eduardo Cerqueira; Godinho, Tiana Mascarenhas; Liberato, Maurício Valverde; Oliveira Filho, Fernando Cezar Cabral; Azevedo, Ana Bárbara Galvão de; Neves, Ana Paula Soares da Silva; Martins, Marcelo de Jesus; Silva, João Paulo Maciel; Jesuíno, Paulo André; Souza Filho, Sydney Agareno de

2007-12-01

There are deficiencies on Intensive Medicine (IM) teaching in most of medical undergraduate schools. Those deficiencies may imply damages on their clinical competence. The objective of this study was to analyze current status of IM teaching and the medical undergraduate student interest in this speciality. A cross-sectional study was performed in 2005. We applied a self-reported questionnaire to enrolled students between the sixth and the last semesters of two medical schools from Salvador-Bahia. The questionnaire contained questions about students' interest and knowledge on IM, and opinion on IM teaching in their schools. We studied 570 students. Most of them (57.5%) had never realized a clerkship in intensive care unit (ICU) despite classifying its usefulness as high (mean of 4.14 ± 1.05, in a scale from 1 to 5). IM interest was high or very high in 53.7% of sample. Almost all students (97%) thought that IM topics should be more explored at their curriculum. Only 42.1% reported to be able to assess a critical care patient and this assurance was higher among students with previous clerkship in ICU (p < 0.001). Shock, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and sepsis were the most interesting topics in ICU for students' opinion. This study revealed a high interest in IM among medical undergraduate students. However, most had never practice a clerkship in ICU, demonstrating to be an important factor on undergraduate student performance faced to a critical care patient.

A qualitative study exploring issues related to medication management in residential aged care facilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Nizaruddin M

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Mariani Ahmad Nizaruddin, Marhanis-Salihah Omar, Adliah Mhd-Ali, Mohd Makmor-Bakry Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Background: Globally, the population of older people is on the rise. As families are burdened with the high cost of care for aging members, demand is increasing for medical care and nursing homes. Thus, medication management is crucial to ensure that residents in a care center benefit and assist the management of the care center in reducing the burden of health care. This study is aimed to qualitatively explore issues related to medication management in residential aged care facilities (RACFs.Participants and methods: A total of 11 stakeholders comprising health care providers, administrators, caretakers and residents were recruited from a list of registered government, nongovernmental organization and private RACFs in Malaysia from September 2016 to April 2017. An exploratory qualitative study adhering to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies was conducted. In-depth interview was conducted with consent of all participants, and the interviews were audio recorded for later verbatim transcription. Observational analysis was also conducted in a noninterfering manner.Results and discussion: Three themes, namely medication use process, personnel handling medications and culture, emerged in this study. Medication use process highlighted an unclaimed liability for residents’ medication by the RACFs, whereas personnel handling medications were found to lack sufficient training in medication management. Culture of the organization did affect the medication safety and quality improvement. The empowerment of the residents in their medication management was limited. There were unclear roles and responsibility of who manages the medication in the nongovernment-funded RACFs, although they were well structured in the private nursing homes.Conclusion: There are important issues

Knowledge of medical students on National Health Care System: A French multicentric survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Feral-Pierssens, A-L; Jannot, A-S

2017-09-01

Education on national health care policy and costs is part of our medical curriculum explaining how our health care system works. Our aim was to measure French medical students' knowledge about national health care funding, costs and access and explore association with their educational and personal background. We developed a web-based survey exploring knowledge on national health care funding, access and costs through 19 items and measured success score as the number of correct answers. We also collected students' characteristics and public health training. The survey was sent to undergraduate medical students and residents from five medical universities between July and November 2015. A total of 1195 students from 5 medical universities responded to the survey. Most students underestimated the total amount of annual medical expenses, hospitalization costs and the proportion of the general population not benefiting from a complementary insurance. The knowledge score was not associated with medical education level. Three students' characteristics were significantly associated with a better knowledge score: male gender, older age, and underprivileged status. Medical students have important gaps in knowledge regarding national health care funding, coverage and costs. This knowledge was not associated with medical education level but with some of the students' personal characteristics. All these results are of great concern and should lead us to discussion and reflection about medical and public health training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The economics of health care quality and medical errors.

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Andel, Charles; Davidow, Stephen L; Hollander, Mark; Moreno, David A

2012-01-01

Hospitals have been looking for ways to improve quality and operational efficiency and cut costs for nearly three decades, using a variety of quality improvement strategies. However, based on recent reports, approximately 200,000 Americans die from preventable medical errors including facility-acquired conditions and millions may experience errors. In 2008, medical errors cost the United States $19.5 billion. About 87 percent or $17 billion were directly associated with additional medical cost, including: ancillary services, prescription drug services, and inpatient and outpatient care, according to a study sponsored by the Society for Actuaries and conducted by Milliman in 2010. Additional costs of $1.4 billion were attributed to increased mortality rates with $1.1 billion or 10 million days of lost productivity from missed work based on short-term disability claims. The authors estimate that the economic impact is much higher, perhaps nearly $1 trillion annually when quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) are applied to those that die. Using the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) estimate of 98,000 deaths due to preventable medical errors annually in its 1998 report, To Err Is Human, and an average of ten lost years of life at $75,000 to $100,000 per year, there is a loss of $73.5 billion to $98 billion in QALYs for those deaths--conservatively. These numbers are much greater than those we cite from studies that explore the direct costs of medical errors. And if the estimate of a recent Health Affairs article is correct-preventable death being ten times the IOM estimate-the cost is $735 billion to $980 billion. Quality care is less expensive care. It is better, more efficient, and by definition, less wasteful. It is the right care, at the right time, every time. It should mean that far fewer patients are harmed or injured. Obviously, quality care is not being delivered consistently throughout U.S. hospitals. Whatever the measure, poor quality is costing payers and

Computerised clinical decision support systems to improve medication safety in long-term care homes: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Marasinghe, Keshini Madara

2015-05-12

Computerised clinical decision support systems (CCDSS) are used to improve the quality of care in various healthcare settings. This systematic review evaluated the impact of CCDSS on improving medication safety in long-term care homes (LTC). Medication safety in older populations is an important health concern as inappropriate medication use can elevate the risk of potentially severe outcomes (ie, adverse drug reactions, ADR). With an increasing ageing population, greater use of LTC by the growing ageing population and increasing number of medication-related health issues in LTC, strategies to improve medication safety are essential. Databases searched included MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and Cochrane Library. Three groups of keywords were combined: those relating to LTC, medication safety and CCDSS. One reviewer undertook screening and quality assessment. Overall findings suggest that CCDSS in LTC improved the quality of prescribing decisions (ie, appropriate medication orders), detected ADR, triggered warning messages (ie, related to central nervous system side effects, drug-associated constipation, renal insufficiency) and reduced injury risk among older adults. CCDSS have received little attention in LTC, as attested by the limited published literature. With an increasing ageing population, greater use of LTC by the ageing population and increased workload for health professionals, merely relying on physicians' judgement on medication safety would not be sufficient. CCDSS to improve medication safety and enhance the quality of prescribing decisions are essential. Analysis of review findings indicates that CCDSS are beneficial, effective and have potential to improve medication safety in LTC; however, the use of CCDSS in LTC is scarce. Careful assessment on the impact of CCDSS on medication safety and further modifications to existing CCDSS are recommended for wider acceptance. Due to scant evidence in the current literature, further research on implementation and

32 CFR 732.25 - Accounting classifications for nonnaval medical and dental care expenses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... and dental care expenses. 732.25 Section 732.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY PERSONNEL NONNAVAL MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE Accounting Classifications for Nonnaval Medical and Dental Care Expenses and Standard Document Numbers § 732.25 Accounting classifications for...

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patient Care: Medical Students' Preparedness and Comfort.

Science.gov (United States)

White, William; Brenman, Stephanie; Paradis, Elise; Goldsmith, Elizabeth S; Lunn, Mitchell R; Obedin-Maliver, Juno; Stewart, Leslie; Tran, Eric; Wells, Maggie; Chamberlain, Lisa J; Fetterman, David M; Garcia, Gabriel

2015-01-01

Phenomenon: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face significant barriers in accessing appropriate and comprehensive medical care. Medical students' level of preparedness and comfort caring for LGBT patients is unknown. An online questionnaire (2009-2010) was distributed to students (n = 9,522) at 176 allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in Canada and the United States, followed by focus groups (2010) with students (n = 35) at five medical schools. The objective of this study was to characterize LGBT-related medical curricula, to determine medical students' assessments of their institutions' LGBT-related curricular content, and to evaluate their comfort and preparedness in caring for LGBT patients. Of 9,522 survey respondents, 4,262 from 170 schools were included in the final analysis. Most medical students (2,866/4,262; 67.3%) evaluated their LGBT-related curriculum as "fair" or worse. Students most often felt prepared addressing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; 3,254/4,147; 78.5%) and non-HIV sexually transmitted infections (2,851/4,136; 68.9%). They felt least prepared discussing sex reassignment surgery (1,061/4,070; 26.1%) and gender transitioning (1,141/4,068; 28.0%). Medical education helped 62.6% (2,669/4,262) of students feel "more prepared" and 46.3% (1,972/4,262) of students feel "more comfortable" to care for LGBT patients. Four focus group sessions with 29 students were transcribed and analyzed. Qualitative analysis suggested students have significant concerns in addressing certain aspects of LGBT health, specifically with transgender patients. Insights: Medical students thought LGBT-specific curricula could be improved, consistent with the findings from a survey of deans of medical education. They felt comfortable, but not fully prepared, to care for LGBT patients. Increasing curricular coverage of LGBT-related topics is indicated with emphasis on exposing students to LGBT patients in clinical settings.

Moral accounts and membership categorization in primary care medical interviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Dillon, Patrick J

2011-01-01

Although the link between health and morality has been well established, few studies have examined how issues of morality emerge and are addressed in primary care medical encounters. This paper addresses the need to examine morality as it is (re) constructed in everyday health care interactions. A Membership Categorization Analysis of 96 medical interviews reveals how patients orient to particular membership categories and distance themselves from others as a means of accounting (Buttny 1993; Scott and Lyman 1968) for morally questionable health behaviours. More specifically, this paper examines how patients use membership categorizations in order to achieve specific social identity(ies) (Schubert et al. 2009) through two primary strategies: defensive detailing and prioritizing alternative membership categories. Thus, this analysis tracks the emergence of cultural and moral knowledge about social life as it takes place in primary care medical encounters.

Altered Mental Status: Current Evidence-based Recommendations for Prehospital Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashley Sanello

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In the United States emergency medical services (EMS protocols vary widely across jurisdictions. We sought to develop evidence-based recommendations for the prehospital evaluation and treatment of a patient with an acute change in mental status and to compare these recommendations against the current protocols used by the 33 EMS agencies in the State of California. Methods: We performed a literature review of the current evidence in the prehospital treatment of a patient with altered mental status (AMS and augmented this review with guidelines from various national and international societies to create our evidence-based recommendations. We then compared the AMS protocols of each of the 33 EMS agencies for consistency with these recommendations. The specific protocol components that we analyzed were patient assessment, point-of-care tests, supplemental oxygen, use of standardized scoring, evaluating for causes of AMS, blood glucose evaluation, toxicological treatment, and pediatric evaluation and management. Results: Protocols across 33 EMS agencies in California varied widely. All protocols call for a blood glucose check, 21 (64% suggest treating adults at <60mg/dL, and half allow for the use of dextrose 10%. All the protocols recommend naloxone for signs of opioid overdose, but only 13 (39% give specific parameters. Half the agencies (52% recommend considering other toxicological causes of AMS, often by using the mnemonic AEIOU TIPS. Eight (24% recommend a 12-lead electrocardiogram; others simply suggest cardiac monitoring. Fourteen (42% advise supplemental oxygen as needed; only seven (21% give specific parameters. In terms of considering various etiologies of AMS, 25 (76% give instructions to consider trauma, 20 (61% to consider stroke, and 18 (55% to consider seizure. Twenty-three (70% of the agencies have separate pediatric AMS protocols; others include pediatric considerations within the adult protocol. Conclusion: Protocols

[Systemic candidiasis in medical intensive care unit: analysis of risk factors and the contribution of colonization index].

Science.gov (United States)

Massou, S; Ahid, S; Azendour, H; Bensghir, M; Mounir, K; Iken, M; Lmimouni, B E; Balkhi, H; Drissi Kamili, N; Haimeur, C

2013-06-01

Description of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the patients introducing risk factors of invasive candidiasis. Analysis of risk factors for candidiasis invasive and evaluation of the contribution of colonization index (CI) in the diagnosis of the systematic candidiasis in medical intensive care. Prospective observational study (October 2007 to October 2009). The selected patients present risk factors of system IC candidiasis with an infectious syndrome or clinical signs suggestive of Candida infection and hospitalized more than 48 hours in medical intensive care unit. Pittet's colonization index was calculated at admission and then once a week added to a blood culture. Patients were classified according to level of evidence of Candida infection and the degree of colonization (CIcandidiasis. In multivariate analysis, the corticosteroid therapy was associated with a high colonisation (IC ≥ 0.5) and neutropenia with a high risk of systemic candidiasis. The positive predictive value of CI was 26%. The negative predictive value was 98%, the sensitivity and specificity was 93% and 48% respectively. CI has the advantage to provide a quantified data of the patient's situation in relation to the colonization. But, it isn't helpful with patients having an invasive candidiasis in medical intensive care unit. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Development of a Medical Care Terminal for Efficient Monitoring of Bedridden Subjects

OpenAIRE

Pereira, Filipe; Carvalho, Vítor; Soares, Filomena; Machado, José; Bezerra, Karolina; Silva, Rui; Matos, Demétrio

2016-01-01

This work is developed in the context of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) and has as main objective the development of a mechatronic system that allows the care of bedridden patients with ongoing medical care handled by a single person. The developed Medical Care Terminal (MCT) improves autonomy in home care, safety, comfort, and hygiene of bedridden patients. The MCT has six biomedical sensors and four environmental sensors. Data acquisition and processing is performed using Arduino and Lab VIE...

Encountering aged care: a mixed methods investigation of medical students' clinical placement experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Annear, Michael J; Lea, Emma; Lo, Amanda; Tierney, Laura; Robinson, Andrew

2016-02-04

Residential aged care is an increasingly important health setting due to population ageing and the increase in age-related conditions, such as dementia. However, medical education has limited engagement with this fast-growing sector and undergraduate training remains primarily focussed on acute presentations in hospital settings. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the adequacy of dementia-related content in undergraduate medical curricula, while research has found mixed attitudes among students towards the care of older people. This study explores how medical students engage with the learning experiences accessible in clinical placements in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), particularly exposure to multiple comorbidity, cognitive impairment, and palliative care. Fifth-year medical students (N = 61) completed five-day clinical placements at two Australian aged care facilities in 2013 and 2014. The placements were supported by an iterative yet structured program and academic teaching staff to ensure appropriate educational experiences and oversight. Mixed methods data were collected before and after the clinical placement. Quantitative data included surveys of dementia knowledge and questions about attitudes to the aged care sector and working with older adults. Qualitative data were collected from focus group discussions concerning medical student expectations, learning opportunities, and challenges to engagement. Pre-placement surveys identified good dementia knowledge, but poor attitudes towards aged care and older adults. Negative placement experiences were associated with a struggle to discern case complexity and a perception of an aged care placement as an opportunity cost associated with reduced hospital training time. Irrespective of negative sentiment, post-placement survey data showed significant improvements in attitudes to working with older people and dementia knowledge. Positive student experiences were explained by in

Facilities and medical care for on-site nuclear power plant radiological emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1979-01-01

The operation of a nuclear power plant introduces risks of injury or accidents that could also result in the exposure of personnel to radiation or radioactive materials. It is important in such an event to have adequate first aid and medical facilities, supplies, equipment, transportation capabilities and trained personnel available to provide necessary care. This standard provides guidance for first aid during an emergency and for initial medical care of those overexposed to penetrating radiation or contaminated with radioactive material or radionuclides. Recommendations cover facilities, supplies, equipment and the extent of care on-site, where first aid and initial care may be provided, and off-site at a local hospital, where further medical and surgical care may be provided. Additional recommendations are also provided for the transportation of patients and the training of personnel. A brief discussion of specialized care is provided in an appendix

 Nutritional care of Danish medical in-patients - patients' perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lassen, Karin Østergaard; Kruse, Filip; Bjerrum, Merete

2005-01-01

with the nutritional care.The patients includeed a total of 91 medical inpatients at two internal medical wards, aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Their average age was 72 (+/-) 11 yerars. They were individually interviewed about the fodd service ad the nutritinal care upon discharge.Patients satifaction...... with the meals was overall high (90%). About 80% found the meals to be very important, but they lacked information about the food service, and the patient-staff communication about the food service was poor. The reults indicate that the nursing staff was exercising a 'knowledge monopoly' in relation to the food...... service. In conclusion, a majority of the patients dis not perceive the nutritional care as part of the therapy and nursing care during their hospitalization....

Changing trends in health care tourism.

Science.gov (United States)

Karuppan, Corinne M; Karuppan, Muthu

2010-01-01

Despite much coverage in the popular press, only anecdotal evidence is available on medical tourists. At first sight, they seemed confined to small and narrowly defined consumer segments: individuals seeking bargains in cosmetic surgery or uninsured and financially distressed individuals in desperate need of medical care. The study reported in this article is the first empirical investigation of the medical tourism consumer market. It provides the demographic profile, motivations, and value perceptions of health care consumers who traveled abroad specifically to receive medical care. The findings suggest a much broader market of educated and savvy health care consumers than previously thought. In the backdrop of the health care reform, the article concludes with implications for health care providers.

Integration of footprints information systems in palliative care: the case of Medical Center of Central Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsavatewa, Christopher; Musa, Philip F; Ramsingh, Isaac

2012-06-01

Healthcare in America continues to be of paramount importance, and one of the most highly debated public policy issues of our time. With annual expenditures already exceeding $2.4 trillion, and yielding less than optimal results, it stands to reason that we must turn to promising tools and solutions, such as information technology (IT), to improve service efficiency and quality of care. Presidential addresses in 2004 and 2008 laid out an agenda, framework, and timeline for national health information technology investment and development. A national initiative was long overdue. This report we show that advancements in both medical technologies and information systems can be capitalized upon, hence extending information systems usage beyond data collection to include administrative and decision support, care plan development, quality improvement, etc. In this paper we focus on healthcare services for palliative patients. We present the development and preliminary accounts of a successful initiative in the Medical Center of Central Georgia where footprints information technology was modified and integrated into the hospital's palliative care service and existing EMR systems. The project provides evidence that there are a plethora of areas in healthcare in which innovative application of information systems could significantly enhance the care delivered to loved ones, and improve operations at the same time..

The Heart of the Matter of Opinion and Evidence: The Value of Evidence-Based Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Masvidal, Daniel; Lavie, Carl J.

2012-01-01

Evidence-based medicine is an important aspect of continuing medical education. This article reviews previous and current examples of conflicting topics that evidence-based medicine has clarified to allow us to provide the best possible patient care. PMID:22438783

Achieving best outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease in China by enhancing the quality of medical care and establishing a learning health-care system.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lixin; Krumholz, Harlan M; Li, Xi; Li, Jing; Hu, Shengshou

2015-10-10

China has an immediate need to address the rapidly growing population with cardiovascular disease events and the increasing number of people living with this illness. Despite progress in increasing access to services, China faces the dual challenge of addressing gaps in quality of care and producing more evidence to support clinical practice. In this Review, we address opportunities to strengthen performance measurement, programmes to improve quality of care, and national capacity to produce high-impact knowledge for clinical practice. Moreover, we propose recommendations, with implications for other diseases, for how China can immediately make use of its Hospital Quality-Monitoring System and other existing national platforms to assess and improve performance of medical care, and to generate new knowledge to inform clinical decisions and national policies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of pharmacist-led medication reviews in residential aged care facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Syed Shahzad; Thiruchelvam, Kaeshaelya; Kow, Chia Siang; Ghori, Muhammad Usman; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

2017-10-01

Medication reviews is a widely accepted approach known to have a substantial impact on patients' pharmacotherapy and safety. Numerous options to optimise pharmacotherapy in older people have been reported in literature and they include medication reviews, computerised decision support systems, management teams, and educational approaches. Pharmacist-led medication reviews are increasingly being conducted, aimed at attaining patient safety and medication optimisation. Cost effectiveness is an essential aspect of a medication review evaluation. Areas covered: A systematic searching of articles that examined the cost-effectiveness of medication reviews conducted in aged care facilities was performed using the relevant databases. Pharmacist-led medication reviews confer many benefits such as attainment of biomarker targets for improved clinical outcomes, and other clinical parameters, as well as depict concrete financial advantages in terms of decrement in total medication costs and associated cost savings. Expert commentary: The cost-effectiveness of medication reviews are more consequential than ever before. A critical evaluation of pharmacist-led medication reviews in residential aged care facilities from an economical aspect is crucial in determining if the time, effort, and direct and indirect costs involved in the review rationalise the significance of conducting medication reviews for older people in aged care facilities.

Medical staffing in Ontario neonatal intensive care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Paes, B; Mitchell, A; Hunsberger, M; Blatz, S; Watts, J; Dent, P; Sinclair, J; Southwell, D

1989-06-01

Advances in technology have improved the survival rates of infants of low birth weight. Increasing service commitments together with cutbacks in Canadian training positions have caused concerns about medical staffing in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Ontario. To determine whether an imbalance exists between the supply of medical personnel and the demand for health care services, in July 1985 we surveyed the medical directors, head nurses and staff physicians of nine tertiary level NICUs and the directors of five postgraduate pediatric residency programs. On the basis of current guidelines recommending an ideal neonatologist:patient ratio of 1:6 (assuming an adequate number of support personnel) most of the NICUs were understaffed. Concern about the heavy work pattern and resulting lifestyle implications has made Canadian graduates reluctant to enter this subspecialty. We propose strategies to correct staffing shortages in the context of rapidly increasing workloads resulting from a continuing cutback of pediatric residency positions and restrictions on immigration of foreign trainees.

Science of health care delivery milestones for undergraduate medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Havyer, Rachel D; Norby, Suzanne M; Leep Hunderfund, Andrea N; Starr, Stephanie R; Lang, Tara R; Wolanskyj, Alexandra P; Reed, Darcy A

2017-08-25

The changing healthcare landscape requires physicians to develop new knowledge and skills such as high-value care, systems improvement, population health, and team-based care, which together may be referred to as the Science of Health Care Delivery (SHCD). To engender public trust and confidence, educators must be able to meaningfully assess physicians' abilities in SHCD. We aimed to develop a novel set of SHCD milestones based on published Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones that can be used by medical schools to assess medical students' competence in SHCD. We reviewed all ACGME milestones for 25 specialties available in September 2013. We used an iterative, qualitative process to group the ACGME milestones into SHCD content domains, from which SHCD milestones were derived. The SHCD milestones were categorized within the current ACGME core competencies and were also mapped to Association of American Medical Colleges' Entrustable Professional Activities (AAMC EPAs). Fifteen SHCD sub-competencies and corresponding milestones are provided, grouped within ACGME core competencies and mapped to multiple AAMC EPAs. This novel set of milestones, grounded within the existing ACGME competencies, defines fundamental expectations within SHCD that can be used and adapted by medical schools in the assessment of medical students in this emerging curricular area. These milestones provide a blueprint for SHCD content and assessment as ongoing revisions to milestones and curricula occur.

Perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of evidence-based medicine in primary care in Spain: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrillo Ricard

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The philosophy of evidence-based medicine (EBM was introduced in the early 90s as a new approach to the practice of medicine, using the best available evidence to make decisions about health care. Despite ongoing controversy, EBM has developed enormously and physicians' attitude towards it is generally positive. Nevertheless, in Spain little is known about this topic. We will therefore undertake a study to explore perceptions, attitudes and knowledge about EBM among primary care physicians. Methods and design A mixed-method study combining qualitative and quantitative designs will target family practitioners in Spain with the objective of evaluating current attitudes and perceptions about evidence-based medicine. The project will consist of two phases: a first phase running focus groups to identify perceptions and attitudes of participants, and a second phase assessing their attitudes and knowledge about EBM by means of a survey. Both phases will explore these issues in three different subgroups: family practitioners, with or without previous formal education in EBM; members of working groups that formulate healthcare recommendations; and physicians in charge of training family practice residents. Additionally, we will undertake a systematic review to identify and synthesize the available evidence on this topic. Discussion The study will identify and gain insight into the perceived problems and barriers to the practice of evidence-based medicine among general practitioners in Spain. The project will also evaluate the main knowledge gaps and training needs, and explore how evidence-based medicine is being taught to family medicine residents, the medical practitioners of the future. Our results will aid researchers and health care planners in developing strategies to improve the practice of evidence-based medicine in our country.

The emotions of graduating medical students about prior patient care experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Clay, Alison S; Ross, Elizabeth; Chudgar, Saumil M; Grochowski, Colleen O'Connor; Tulsky, James A; Shapiro, Dan

2015-03-01

To determine the emotional responses to patient care activities described by fourth year medical students. Qualitative content analysis for emerging themes in letters written by graduating medical students to patients during a Capstone Course. The patient need not be alive and the letter would never be sent. Six themes emerged from student letters: (1) Sorrow for the depths of patient suffering; (2) Gratitude towards patients and their families; (3) Personal responsibility for care provided to patients; (4) Regret for poor care provided by the student or student's team; (5) Shattered expectations about medicine and training; and (6) Anger towards patients. Students expressed sensitivity to vulnerable patients, including those who were alone, unable to communicate, or for whom care was biased. Students' expressed powerlessness (inability to cure, managing a work-life balance, and challenges with hierarchy) in some essays. At graduation, medical students describe strong emotions about previous patient care experiences, including difficulty witnessing suffering, disappointment with medicine, and gratitude to patients and their families Providing regular opportunities for writing throughout medical education would allow students to recognize their emotions, reflect upon them and promote wellness that would benefit students and their patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health Insurance, Medical Care, and Health Outcomes: A Model of Elderly Health Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhou; Gilleskie, Donna B.; Norton, Edward C.

2009-01-01

Prescription drug coverage creates a change in medical care consumption, beyond standard moral hazard, arising both from the differential cost-sharing and the relative effectiveness of different types of care. We model the dynamic supplemental health insurance decisions of Medicare beneficiaries, their medical care demand, and subsequent health…

Medical Care in a Free Clinic: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Patient Experience, Incentives, and Barriers to Optimal Medical Care with Consideration of a Facility Fee.

Science.gov (United States)

Birs, Antoinette; Liu, Xinwei; Nash, Bee; Sullivan, Sara; Garris, Stephanie; Hardy, Marvin; Lee, Michael; Simms-Cendan, Judith; Pasarica, Magdalena

2016-02-19

Free and charitable clinics are important contributors to the health of the United States population. Recently, funding for these clinics has been declining, and it is, therefore, useful to identify what qualities patients value the most in clinics in an effort to allocate funding wisely. In order to identify targets and incentives for improvement of patients' health, we performed a comprehensive analysis of patients' experience at a free clinic by analyzing a patient survey (N=94). The survey also assessed patient opinions of a small facility fee, which could be used to offset the decrease in funds. Interestingly, our patients believed it is appropriate to be charged a facility fee (78%) because it increases involvement in their care (r = 0.69, p fee. Barriers include affordable housing, transportation, medication, and accessible information. In order to improve medical care in the uninsured population, our study suggested that we need to: 1) offer continuity of medical care; 2) offer affordable preventive health screenings; 3) support affordable transportation, housing, and medications; and 4) consider including a facility fee.

Applying social marketing in health care: communicating evidence to change consumer behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, W Douglas; McCormack, Lauren

2008-01-01

Social marketing uses commercial marketing strategies to change individual and organizational behavior and policies. It has been effective on a population level across a wide range of public health and health care domains. There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of social marketing in changing health care consumer behavior through its impact on patient-provider interaction or provider behavior. Social marketers need to identify translatable strategies (e.g., competition analysis, branding, and tailored messages) that can be applied to health care provider and consumer behavior. Three case studies from social marketing illustrate potential strategies to change provider and consumer behavior. Countermarketing is a rapidly growing social marketing strategy that has been effective in tobacco control and may be effective in countering pharmaceutical marketing using specific message strategies. Informed decision making is a useful strategy when there is medical uncertainty, such as in prostate cancer screening and treatment. Pharmaceutical industry marketing practices offer valuable lessons for developing competing messages to reach providers and consumers. Social marketing is an effective population-based behavior change strategy that can be applied in individual clinical settings and as a complement to reinforce messages communicated on a population level. There is a need for more research on message strategies that work in health care and population-level effectiveness studies.

Evidence-based care: an innovation to improve nursing practice ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Evidence-based care: an innovation to improve nursing practice globally. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... best available evidence from research findings, expert ideas from specialists in the various health ... need to be addressed to enhance utilization of the best available evidence in nursing practice.

Health Care Professional Factors Influencing Shared Medical Decision Making in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kae-Hwa Jo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Till date, the medical decision-making process in Korea has followed the paternalist model, relying on the instructions of physicians. However, in recent years, shared decision making at the end-of-life between physicians and nurses is now emphasized in Korea. The purpose of this study was conducted to explore how health care professionals’ characteristics, attitude toward dignified dying, and moral sensitivity affect their shared medical decision making. The design was descriptive survey. This study was undertaken in two university hospitals in two metropolitan cities, South Korea. The participants were 344 nurses and 80 physicians who work at university hospitals selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected from January 10 through March 20, 2014 using the Dignified Dying Scale, Moral Sensitivity Scale, and Shared Medical Decision-Making Scale. Shared medical decision making, attitude toward dignified dying, moral sensitivity, age, and working experience had a significant correlation with each other. The factors affecting shared medical decision making of Korean health care professionals were moral sensitivity and attitude toward dignified dying. These variables explained 22.4% of the shared medical decision making. Moral sensitivity and a positive attitude toward dignified dying should be promoted among health care professionals as a part of an educational program for shared medical decision making.

Automated drug dispensing system reduces medication errors in an intensive care setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapuis, Claire; Roustit, Matthieu; Bal, Gaëlle; Schwebel, Carole; Pansu, Pascal; David-Tchouda, Sandra; Foroni, Luc; Calop, Jean; Timsit, Jean-François; Allenet, Benoît; Bosson, Jean-Luc; Bedouch, Pierrick

2010-12-01

We aimed to assess the impact of an automated dispensing system on the incidence of medication errors related to picking, preparation, and administration of drugs in a medical intensive care unit. We also evaluated the clinical significance of such errors and user satisfaction. Preintervention and postintervention study involving a control and an intervention medical intensive care unit. Two medical intensive care units in the same department of a 2,000-bed university hospital. Adult medical intensive care patients. After a 2-month observation period, we implemented an automated dispensing system in one of the units (study unit) chosen randomly, with the other unit being the control. The overall error rate was expressed as a percentage of total opportunities for error. The severity of errors was classified according to National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention categories by an expert committee. User satisfaction was assessed through self-administered questionnaires completed by nurses. A total of 1,476 medications for 115 patients were observed. After automated dispensing system implementation, we observed a reduced percentage of total opportunities for error in the study compared to the control unit (13.5% and 18.6%, respectively; perror (20.4% and 13.5%; perror showed a significant impact of the automated dispensing system in reducing preparation errors (perrors caused no harm (National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention category C). The automated dispensing system did not reduce errors causing harm. Finally, the mean for working conditions improved from 1.0±0.8 to 2.5±0.8 on the four-point Likert scale. The implementation of an automated dispensing system reduced overall medication errors related to picking, preparation, and administration of drugs in the intensive care unit. Furthermore, most nurses favored the new drug dispensation organization.

Characteristics associated with purchasing antidepressant or antianxiety medications through primary care in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayalon, Liat; Gross, Revital; Yaari, Aviv; Feldhamer, Elan; Balicer, Ran; Goldfracht, Margalit

2011-09-01

This study analyzed the role of patient and physician characteristics associated with the purchase of antidepressant or antianxiety medications in Israel, a country that has a universal health care system. A national sample of 30,000 primary care patients over the age of 22 was randomly drawn from the registry of the largest health care fund in Israel. Data concerning medication purchase between January and December 2006 were extracted. Physician and patient characteristics were merged with Israel's unique identification number. Multilevel analysis was conducted to identify patient- and physician-level predictors of medication purchase. Overall, 19% (N = 4,762) of the sample purchased antidepressant or antianxiety medications. Individuals with greater general medical and psychiatric comorbidity were more likely to purchase antidepressant or antianxiety medications. Older adults, women, those of higher socioeconomic status, and immigrants (with the exception of Jews born in Asia or Africa) were also more likely to purchase medications. Arabs and Jews born in Asia and Africa were less likely to purchase medications even after all other variables were accounted for. Physician characteristics were minimally associated with the purchase of medications. The findings demonstrate that despite universal health care access, there were variations by population groups. Educational efforts should target patients as well as physicians.

[Career planning for explanation of clinical test results and program of inspections: developing medical technologists for team medical care].

Science.gov (United States)

Uchida, Misuko

2013-04-01

Current medical care is subdivided according to medical advances, and sophistication and new techniques are necessary. In this setting, doctors and nurses have been explaining to and consulting patients about their medical examinations; however, in recent years, medical technologists have performed these duties at the start of the team's medical care. Therefore, we think it is possible for patients to receive clear and convincing explanations. Most patients cannot understand their examination data, which are written using numbers and charts, etc. Recently, the Nagano Medical Technologist Society has been developing technologists who could explain examination results to patients. This development training included hospitality and communication. The certificate of completion will be issued in March when the program starts.

Battlefield Tourniquets: Lessons Learned in Moving Current Care Toward Best Care in an Army Medical Department at War.

Science.gov (United States)

Kragh, John F; Dubick, Michael A

2016-01-01

Bleeding prevention and control by tourniquet use by out-of-hospital caregivers is a major breakthrough in military medicine of current wars. The present review documents developments in tourniquet practices since 2001 among the US military services for aid in improving doctrine, policy, and especially care in wars to come. Tourniquets are an adjunct for resuscitation in self-care and buddy aid and today are issued to all military servicepersons who deploy into a combat zone. In the US Army, virtually every Soldier is trained in first aid tourniquet use; since 2009 they are instructed early and often to use them early and often. Despite substantial knowledge gains among the services in tourniquet use and resulting improvements in casualty survival, current evidence shows persistent difficulties in achieving best care with tourniquet use for individual trauma patients. Nevertheless, contemporary tourniquet use incorporates key lessons learned over the last 14 years of war that include: (1) tourniquet use reliably stops bleeding from limb wounds and prevents mortality in prehospital settings; and (2) brief tourniquet use appears to be safe. These 2 lessons have become so evident that civilian emergency medical systems have begun using them, albeit unevenly. Collection and interpretation of data of casualties with tourniquet use have showed that such intervention has lifesaving benefit through 2 mechanisms: control of both ongoing hemorrhage and shock severity. The next generation of interventions in bleeding control involves developing the skill sets, education, and standards of tourniquet users which may improve hemorrhage control in wars to come.

Knowledge and training in paediatric medical traumatic stress and trauma-informed care among emergency medical professionals in low- and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoysted, Claire; Babl, Franz E; Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Landolt, Markus A; Jobson, Laura; Van Der Westhuizen, Claire; Curtis, Sarah; Kharbanda, Anupam B; Lyttle, Mark D; Parri, Niccolò; Stanley, Rachel; Alisic, Eva

2018-01-01

Background : Provision of psychosocial care, in particular trauma-informed care, in the immediate aftermath of paediatric injury is a recommended strategy to minimize the risk of paediatric medical traumatic stress. Objective : To examine the knowledge of paediatric medical traumatic stress and perspectives on providing trauma-informed care among emergency staff working in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Method : Training status, knowledge of paediatric medical traumatic stress, attitudes towards incorporating psychosocial care and barriers experienced were assessed using an online self-report questionnaire. Respondents included 320 emergency staff from 58 LMICs. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, t -tests and multiple regression. Results : Participating emergency staff working in LMICs had a low level of knowledge of paediatric medical traumatic stress. Ninety-one percent of respondents had not received any training or education in paediatric medical traumatic stress, or trauma-informed care for injured children, while 94% of respondents indicated they wanted training in this area. Conclusions : There appears to be a need for training and education of emergency staff in LMICs regarding paediatric medical traumatic stress and trauma-informed care, in particular among staff working in comparatively lower income countries.

Late presentation of chronic viral hepatitis for medical care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mauss, Stefan; Pol, Stanislas; Buti, Maria

2017-01-01

, and relevant stakeholders including patient advocacy groups, health policy-makers, international health organisations and surveillance experts, met in 2014 and 2015 to develop a draft consensus definition of late presentation with viral hepatitis for medical care. This was refined through subsequent...... consultations among the group. RESULTS: Two definitions were agreed upon. Presentation with advanced liver disease caused by chronic viral hepatitis for medical care is defined as a patient with chronic hepatitis B and C and significant fibrosis (≥ F3 assessed by either APRI score > 1.5, FIB-4 > 3.25, Fibrotest...

Medical cannabis: A forward vision for the clinician.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzcharles, M A; Eisenberg, E

2018-03-01

Medical cannabis has entered mainstream medicine and is here to stay. Propelled by public advocacy, the media and mostly anecdote rather than sound scientific study, patients worldwide are exploring marijuana use for a vast array of medical conditions including management of chronic pain. Contrary to the usual path of drug approval, medical cannabis has bypassed traditional evidence-based study and has been legalized as a therapeutic product by legislative bodies in various countries. While there is a wealth of basic science and preclinical studies demonstrating effects of cannabinoids in neurobiological systems, especially those pertaining to pain and inflammation, clinical study remains limited. Cannabinoids may hold promise for relief of symptoms in a vast array of conditions, but with many questions as yet unanswered. Rigorous study is needed to examine the true evidence for benefits and risks for various conditions and in various patient populations, the specific molecular effects, ideal methods of administration, and interaction with other medications and substances. In the context of prevalent use, there is an urgency to gather pertinent clinical information about the therapeutic effects as well as risks. Even with considerable uncertainties, the health care community must adhere to the guiding principle of clinical care 'primum non nocere' and continue to provide empathetic patient care while exercising prudence and caution. The health care community must strongly advocate for sound scientific evidence regarding cannabis as a therapy. Legalization of medical cannabis has bypassed usual drug regulatory procedures in jurisdictions worldwide. Pending sound evidence for effect in many conditions, physicians must continue to provide competent empathetic care with attention to harm reduction. A vision to navigate the current challenges of medical cannabis is outlined. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

46 CFR 12.13-1 - Documentary evidence required.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... course of training in medical first aid or medical care, as appropriate. [CGD 95-062, 62 FR 34537, June... evidence required. Each person designated to provide medical first aid on board ship, or to take charge of...

Influence of awareness and availability of medical alternatives on parents seeking paediatric emergency care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellbrant, Julia A; Åkeson, S Jonas; Karlsland Åkeson, Pia M

2018-06-01

Direct seeking of care at paediatric emergency departments may result from an inadequate awareness or a short supply of medical alternatives. We therefore evaluated the care-seeking patterns, availability of medical options and initial medical assessments - with overall reference to socioeconomic status - of parents at an urban paediatric emergency department in a Scandinavian country providing free paediatric healthcare. The parents of children assessed by paediatric emergency department physicians at a Swedish university hospital over a 25-day winter period completed a questionnaire on recent medical contacts and their reasons for attendance. Additional information was obtained from ledgers, patient records and population demographics. In total, 657 of 713 eligible patients (92%) were included. Seventy-nine per cent of their parents either failed to or managed to establish medical contact before the emergency department visit, whereas 21% sought care with no attempt at recent medical contact. Visits with a failed telephone or primary care contact (18%) were more common outside office hours ( p=0.014) and were scored as less urgent ( p=0.014). A perceived emergency was the main reason for no attempt at medical contact before the visit. Direct emergency department care-seeking was more common from the city district with the lowest socioeconomic status ( p=0.027). Although most parents in this Swedish study tried to seek medical advice before attending a paediatric emergency department, perceived emergency, a short supply of telephone health line or primary care facilities and lower socioeconomic status contributed to direct care-seeking by almost 40% of parents. Pre-hospital awareness and the availability of medical alternatives with an emphasis on major differences in socioeconomic status should therefore be considered to further optimize care-seeking in paediatric emergency departments.

Evidence Based Medicine Teaching in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misa Mi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives – To determine the year when evidence based medicine (EBM wasintroduced and the extent to which medical students were exposed to EBM inundergraduate medical education and to investigate how EBM interventions weredesigned, developed, implemented, and evaluated in the medical curriculum.Methods – A qualitative review of the literature on EBM interventions was conductedto synthesize results of studies published from January 1997 to December 2011. Acomprehensive search was performed on PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science,Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Articleswere selected if the studies involved some form of quantitative and qualitativeresearch design. Articles were excluded if they studied EBM interventions in medicalschools outside the United States or if they examined EBM interventions for alliedhealth profession education or at the levels of graduate medical education andcontinuing medical education. Thirteen studies which met the selection criteria wereidentified and reviewed. Information was abstracted including study design, year andsetting of EBM intervention, instructional method, instruction delivery format,outcome measured, and evaluation method.Results – EBM was introduced to preclinical years in three studies, integrated intoclinical clerkship rotations in primary care settings in eight studies, and spannedpreclinical and clinical curricula in two studies. The duration of EBM interventionsdiffered, ranging from a workshop of three student contact hours to a curriculum of 30 student contact hours. Five studies incorporated interactive and clinically integrated teaching and learning activities to support student learning. Diverse research designs, EBM interventions, and evaluation methods resulted in heterogeneity in results across the 13 studies.Conclusions – The review reveals wide variations in duration of EBM interventions, instructional methods, delivery formats for EBM

Impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus on the family is reduced with the medical home, care coordination, and family-centered care.

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Michelle L; Laffel, Lori M; Perrin, James M; Kuhlthau, Karen

2012-05-01

To examine whether the medical home, care coordination, or family-centered care was associated with less impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) on families' work, finances, time, and school attendance. With the 2005 to 2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, we compared impact in children with T1D (n = 583) with that in children with other special health care needs (n = 39 944) and children without special health care needs (n = 4945). We modeled the associations of the medical home, care coordination, and family-centered care with family impact in T1D. Seventy-five percent of families of children with T1D reported a major impact compared with 45% of families of children with special health care needs (P families of children without special health care needs (P families of children with T1D, 35% reported restricting work, 38% reported financial impact, 41% reported medical expenses >$1000/year, 24% reported spending ≥11 hours/week caring or coordination care, and 20% reported ≥11 school absences/year. The medical home, care coordination, and family-centered care were associated with less work and financial impact. In childhood T1D, most families experience major impact. Better systems of health care delivery may help families reduce some of this impact. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical home capabilities of primary care practices that serve sociodemographically vulnerable neighborhoods.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedberg, Mark W; Coltin, Kathryn L; Safran, Dana Gelb; Dresser, Marguerite; Schneider, Eric C

2010-06-14

Under current medical home proposals, primary care practices using specific structural capabilities will receive enhanced payments. Some practices disproportionately serve sociodemographically vulnerable neighborhoods. If these practices lack medical home capabilities, their ineligibility for enhanced payments could worsen disparities in care. Via survey, 308 Massachusetts primary care practices reported their use of 13 structural capabilities commonly included in medical home proposals. Using geocoded US Census data, we constructed racial/ethnic minority and economic disadvantage indices to describe the neighborhood served by each practice. We compared the structural capabilities of "disproportionate-share" practices (those in the most sociodemographically vulnerable quintile on each index) and others. Racial/ethnic disproportionate-share practices were more likely than others to have staff assisting patient self-management (69% vs 55%; P = .003), on-site language interpreters (54% vs 26%; P primary care practices serving sociodemographically vulnerable neighborhoods were more likely than other practices to have structural capabilities commonly included in medical home proposals. Payments tied to these capabilities may aid practices serving vulnerable populations.

A comparison of medication administration errors from original medication packaging and multi-compartment compliance aids in care homes: A prospective observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmartin-Thomas, Julia Fiona-Maree; Smith, Felicity; Wolfe, Rory; Jani, Yogini

2017-07-01

No published study has been specifically designed to compare medication administration errors between original medication packaging and multi-compartment compliance aids in care homes, using direct observation. Compare the effect of original medication packaging and multi-compartment compliance aids on medication administration accuracy. Prospective observational. Ten Greater London care homes. Nurses and carers administering medications. Between October 2014 and June 2015, a pharmacist researcher directly observed solid, orally administered medications in tablet or capsule form at ten purposively sampled care homes (five only used original medication packaging and five used both multi-compartment compliance aids and original medication packaging). The medication administration error rate was calculated as the number of observed doses administered (or omitted) in error according to medication administration records, compared to the opportunities for error (total number of observed doses plus omitted doses). Over 108.4h, 41 different staff (35 nurses, 6 carers) were observed to administer medications to 823 residents during 90 medication administration rounds. A total of 2452 medication doses were observed (1385 from original medication packaging, 1067 from multi-compartment compliance aids). One hundred and seventy eight medication administration errors were identified from 2493 opportunities for error (7.1% overall medication administration error rate). A greater medication administration error rate was seen for original medication packaging than multi-compartment compliance aids (9.3% and 3.1% respectively, risk ratio (RR)=3.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4 to 6.1, ppackaging (from original medication packaging-only care homes) and multi-compartment compliance aids (RR=2.3, 95%CI 1.1 to 4.9, p=0.03), and between original medication packaging and multi-compartment compliance aids within care homes that used a combination of both medication administration

Proactive pharmaceutical care interventions decrease patients' nonadherence to osteoporosis medication

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stuurman-Bieze, A G G; Hiddink, E G; van Boven, J F M; Vegter, S

UNLABELLED: Using a protocolled intervention program, pharmacists can decrease nonadherence to osteoporosis medication, by continuous monitoring and tailored counseling sessions, starting at treatment initiation. In the usual care group, 32.8% of patients initiating osteoporosis medication

Identifying medication errors in the neonatal intensive care unit and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

of the health care professional, patient, or consumer. ... Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Health Care Sciences, ..... patient safety. ... Clifton-Koeppel R. What nurses can do right now to reduce medication errors.

Health Care Practices for Medical Textiles in Government Hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

Akubue, B. N.; Anikweze, G. U.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the health care practices for medical textiles in government hospitals Enugu State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study determined the availability and maintenance of medical textiles in government hospitals in Enugu State, Nigeria. A sample of 1200 hospital personnel were studied. One thousand two hundred…

Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, I; Bhadury, T

2012-01-01

Self-medication is a widely prevalent practice in India. It assumes a special significance among medical students as they are the future medical practitioners. To assess the pattern of self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students. Tertiary care medical college in West Bengal, India. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among the undergraduate medical students. Out of 500 students of the institute, 482 consented for the study and filled in the supplied questionnaire. Fourteen incomplete questionnaires were excluded and the remaining 468 analyzed. It was found that 267 (57.05%) respondents practiced self-medication. The principal morbidities for seeking self-medication included cough and common cold as reported by 94 students (35.21%) followed by diarrhea (68 students) (25.47%), fever (42 students) (15.73%), headache (40 students) (14.98%) and pain abdomen due to heartburn/ peptic ulcer (23 students) (8.61%). Drugs/ drug groups commonly used for self-medication included antibiotics (31.09%) followed by analgesics (23.21%), antipyretics (17.98%), antiulcer agents (8.99%), cough suppressant (7.87%), multivitamins (6.37%) and antihelminthics (4.49%). Among reasons for seeking self-medication, 126 students (47.19%) felt that their illness was mild while 76 (28.46%) preferred as it is time-saving. About 42 students (15.73%) cited cost-effectiveness as the primary reason while 23 (8.62%) preferred because of urgency. Our study shows that self-medication is widely practiced among students of the institute. In this situation, faculties should create awareness and educate their students regarding advantages and disadvantages of self-medication.

Mothers’ Experiences of Participating in the Medical Care of their Child with Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korning Lund, Line; Bregnballe, Vibeke

Background: Only a few research studies have addressed parents’ experiences of participating in the medical care and treatment of their child diagnosed with cancer. Objective: To explore how mothers of children diagnosed with cancer experienced participating in the medical care of their child both...... at hospital and at home. Design and methods: A qualitative study with a hermeneutical approach. The empirical data consisted of three semi-structured interviews with mothers of children diagnosed with cancer within the last three months. The interviews were analysed in accordance with Kvale and Brinkmann....... Findings/results: Six themes were found: "Distraction, control and security", "Difficulty dealing with the child's psychological reaction", "Fluctuating surplus of mental resources calls for match of expectation", "Preparing systems for the medical care on their own", "Complying with the medical care...

PRESCRIBING OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENTS IN PUBLIC PRIMARY CARE CLINICS – IS IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH CURRENT EVIDENCE?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SAJARI J

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Large population surveys in Malaysia have consistently shown minimal improvement of blood pressure control rates over the last 10 years. Poor adherence to antihypertensive medication has been recognized as a major reason for poor control of hypertension. This study aimed to describe the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive agents in 2 public primary care clinics and assess its appropriateness in relation to current evidence and guidelines. Methods: A cross-sectional survey to describe the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive agents was carried out in 2 publicprimary care clinics in Selangor from May to June 2009. Hypertensive patients on pharmacological treatment for ≥1 year who attended the clinics within the study period of 7 weeks were selected. Appropriate use of antihypertensive agents was defined based on current evidence and the recommendations by the Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG on the Management of Hypertension, 2008. Data were obtained from patients’ medical records and were analysed using the SPSS software version 16.0. Results: A total of 400 hypertensive patients on treatment were included. Mean age was 59.5 years (SD ±10.9, range 28 to91 years, of which 52.8% were females and 47.2% were males. With regards to pharmacotherapy, 45.7% were on monotherapy,43.3% were on 2 agents and 11.0% were on ≥3 agents. Target blood pressure of <140/90mmHg was achieved in 51.4% of patients on monotherapy, and 33.2% of patients on combination of ≥2 agents. The commonest monotherapy agents being prescribed were β-blockers (atenolol or propranolol, followed by the short-acting calcium channel blocker (nifedipine. The commonest combination of 2-drug therapy prescribed was β-blockers and short-acting calcium channel blocker. Conclusion: This study shows that the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive agents in the 2 primary care clinics was not in accordance with current evidence and guidelines. �

The Bambuí Health and Aging Study (BHAS: private health plan and medical care utilization by older adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lima-Costa Maria Fernanda F.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this cross sectional study was to investigate whether holding a private health plan affects the consumption of medical services (hospitalization and visits to a doctor and use of medications by older adults. All residents in Bambuí town (Minas Gerais, Brazil aged > or = 60 years (n = 1,742 were selected. From these, 92.2% were interviewed and 85.9% were examined (blood tests and physical measurements. After adjustments for counfounders, those under exclusive public coverage (n = 1,296, compared with those holding a private health plan (n = 310, presented some evidence of having worse health status, reported less visits to a doctor, and used a small number of prescribed medications. The main explanation for the aged holding a private health plan was economic, not health. Even though those who had only public health coverage complained more in relation to medical care (70.9%, an important proportion of the aged with a private health care plan presented some kind of complaint (45.2%. Another worrying factor was the difficulty to acquire medication because of financial problems (47.2 and 25.2% reported, respectively. Further investigations are needed to verify whether our results can be generalized to other communities of the country.

Non-evidence-based policy: how effective is China's new cooperative medical scheme in reducing medical impoverishment?

Science.gov (United States)

Yip, Winnie; Hsiao, William C

2009-01-01

In recent years, many lower to middle income countries have looked to insurance as a means to protect their populations from medical impoverishment. In 2003, the Chinese government initiated the New Cooperative Medical System (NCMS), a government-run voluntary insurance program for its rural population. The prevailing model of NCMS combines medical savings accounts with high-deductible catastrophic hospital insurance (MSA/Catastrophic). To assess the effectiveness of this approach in reducing medical impoverishment, we used household survey data from 2006 linked to claims records of health expenditures to simulate the effect of MSA/Catastrophic on reducing the share of individuals falling below the poverty line (headcount), and the amount by which household resources fall short of the poverty line (poverty gap) due to medical expenses. We compared the effects of MSA/Catastrophic to Rural Mutual Health Care (RMHC), an experimental model that provides first dollar coverage for primary care, hospital services and drugs with a similar premium but a lower ceiling. Our results show that RMHC is more effective at reducing medical impoverishment than NCMS. Under the internationally accepted poverty line of US$1.08 per person per day, the MSA/Catastrophic models would reduce the poverty headcount by 3.5-3.9% and the average poverty gap by 11.8-16.4%, compared with reductions of 6.1-6.8% and 15-18.5% under the RMHC model. The primary reason for this is that NCMS does not address a major cause of medical impoverishment: expensive outpatient services for chronic conditions. As such, health policymakers need first to examine the disease profile and health expenditure pattern of a population before they can direct resources to where they will be most effective. As chronic diseases impose a growing share of the burden on the population in developing countries, it is not necessarily true that insurance coverage focusing on expensive hospital care alone is the most effective at