美国退伍军人医疗系统的特点与启示

美国退伍军人医疗系统为全美退伍军人提供全面医疗保障,是美国目前最大的医疗服务系统。它通过构建一体化医疗服务网络,实施临床绩效测度以及合理吸纳外部医疗资源的方式,维持系统内的正常医疗运营并保障医疗质量。在医疗费用的控制上,实施差异化的病人自付费比例和按人头付费为基础的总额补偿办法,并对医疗项目实施管控。美国退伍军人医疗系统的制度设计理念和管理方法对我国军队和地方的医疗制度改革都具有借鉴意义。     

Is current training in basic and advanced cardiac life support (BLS & ACLS) effective? A study of BLS & ACLS knowledge amongst healthcare professionals of North-Kerala

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals are expected to have knowledge of current basic and advanced cardiac life support (BLS/ACLS) guidelines to revive unresponsive patients.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the current practices and knowledge of BLS/ACLS principles among healthcare professionals of North-Kerala using pretested self-administered structured questionnaire. Answers were validated in accordance with American Heart Association's BLS/ACLS teaching manual and the results were analysed.RESULTS: Among 461 healthcare professionals, 141 (30.6%) were practicing physicians, 268 (58.1%) were nurses and 52 (11.3%) supporting staff. The maximum achievable score was 20 (BLS 15/ ACLS 5). The mean score amongst all healthcare professionals was 8.9±4.7. The mean score among physicians, nurses and support staff were 8.6±3.4, 9±3.6 and 9±3.3 respectively. The majority of healthcare professionals scored ≤50% (237, 51.4%); 204 (44.3%) scored 51%-80% and 20 (4.34%) scored >80%. Mean scores decreased with age, male sex and across occupation. Nurses who underwent BLS/ACLS training previously had significantly higher mean scores (10.2±3.4) than untrained (8.2±3.6, P=0.001). Physicians with <5 years experience (P=0.002) and nurses in the private sector (P=0.003) had significantly higher scores. One hundred and sixty three (35.3%) healthcare professionals knew the correct airway opening manoeuvres like head tilt, chin lift and jaw thrust. Only 54 (11.7%) respondents were aware that atropine is not used in ACLS for cardiac arrest resuscitation and 79 (17.1%) correctly opted ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia as shockable rhythms. The majority of healthcare professionals (356, 77.2%) suggested that BLS/ACLS be included in academic curriculum.CONCLUSION: Inadequate knowledge of BLS/ACLS principles amongst healthcare professionals, especially physicians, illuminate lacunae in existing training systems and merit urgent redressal.     

Healthcare and economic impact of diarrhea in patients with carcinoid syndrome

AIM: To examine healthcare resource utilization patterns and costs accrued by carcinoid syndrome(CS) patients with and without diarrhea.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Market Scan~#174; data from 1/1/2002-12/31/2012. Newly diagnosed CS patients had 1 medical claim for CS(ICD-9-CM code 259.2) plus either ≥ 1 additional claim for CS or for carcinoid tumors(ICD-9-CM 209.x), and had no evidence of CS for 1 year prior to index CS diagnosis, in commercially-insured patients 65 years old. Patients were required to have continuous enrollment one year prior and after index date(first claim with CS diagnosis in the ID period). We identified patients with evidence of non-infectious diarrhea(ICD-9-CM codes 564.5 and 787.91) within one year from the index date. Overall and CS-related healthcare resource utilization and costs were compared between patients with and without non-infectious diarrhea during the one year period after the index date. RESULTS: There were 2822 newly diagnosed CS patients; 534(18.9%) had evidence of non-infectious diarrhea. Compared to patients without non-infectious diarrhea, non-infectious diarrhea patients more commonly had at ≥ 1 CS-related hospitalization(13.7% vs 7.2%), ≥ 1 CS-related ED visit(11.0% vs 4.4%), and CS-related office visits in one year(6.9 vs 4.1; all P 0.001). After adjusting for demographics, region, number of chronic conditions and the Charlson Comorbidity Index, the proportions of patients with any and with CS-related hospitalizations were 9.7% and 6.8% higher, respectively, among non-infectious diarrhea patients compared to those with without noninfectious diarrhea(P 0.001). Unadjusted costs were significantly higher among non-infectious diarrhea patients vs those without non-infectious diarrhea. The non-infectious diarrhea group was also more costly, with adjusted mean annual costs of $81610, compared to $51719 in the group without non-infectious diarrhea(P 0.001). CONCLUSION: Diarrhea is burdensome and costly in CS patients. Reduction of CS-related healthcare expenditures may be achievable through preventive treatment and appropriate management of diarrhea in CS.     

Impact of geography on organ allocation: Beyond the distance to the transplantation center

AIM: To illustrate the application and utility of Geographic Information System (GIS) in exploring patterns of liver transplantation. Specifically, we aim to describe the geographic distribution of transplant registrations and identify disparities in access to liver transplantation across United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) region 1.METHODS: Based on UNOS data, the number of listed transplant candidates by ZIP code from 2003 to 2012 for Region 1 was obtained. Choropleth (color-coded) maps were used to visualize the geographic distribution of transplant registrations across the region. Spatial interaction analysis was used to analyze the geographic pattern of total transplant registrations by ZIP code. Factors tested included ZIP code log population and log distance from each ZIP code to the nearest transplant center; ZIP code population density; distance from the nearest city over 50000; and dummy variables for state residence and location in the southern portion of the region.RESULTS: Visualization of transplant registrations revealed geographic disparities in organ allocation across Region 1. The total number of registrations was highest in the southern portion of the region. Spatial interaction analysis, after adjusting for the size of the underlying population, revealed statistically significant clustering of high and low rates in several geographic areas could not be predicted based solely on distance to the transplant center or density of population.CONCLUSION: GIS represents a new method to evaluate the access to liver transplantation within one region and can be used to identify the presence of disparities and reasons for their existence in order to alleviate them.     

Quality of care for acute myocardial infarction in elderly patients with alcohol-related diagnoses

BACKGROUND: Elderly adults with alcohol-related diagnoses represent a vulnerable population that may receive lower quality of treatment during hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction. We sought to determine whether elderly patients with alcohol-related diagnoses are less likely to receive standard indicators of quality care for acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using administrative and medical record data from the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project. Subjects were Medicare beneficiaries with a confirmed principal discharge diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction from all acute care hospitals in the United States over an 8-month period. Our primary outcome was the receipt of 7 guideline-recommended care measures among all eligible patients and patients who were ideal candidates for a given measure. RESULTS: In all, 1,284 (1%) of the 155,026 eligible patients met criteria for an alcohol-related diagnosis. Among the alcohol-related diagnoses, 1,077/1,284 (84%) were for the diagnoses of alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse. Patients with alcohol-related diagnoses were less likely than those without alcohol-related diagnoses to receive beta-blockers at the time of discharge (55% vs. 60%, p = 0.02). We found no other significant differences in performance of the quality indicators after stratifying by indication and adjustment for baseline characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol-related diagnoses are not a barrier to receiving most quality of care measures in elderly patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction.     

Addressing substance abuse in health care settings

This article summarizes the proceedings of a roundtable discussion at the 2005 annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Santa Barbara, California. The chair was William R. Miller. The presentations were as follows: (1) Screening and Brief Intervention for Alcohol Problems, by Allen Zweben; (2) Three Intervention Models and Their Impact on Medical Records, by Denise Ernst; (3) Pharmacotherapies for Managing Alcohol Dependence in Health Care Settings, by Roger D. Weiss; (4) The Trauma Center as an Opportunity, by Carol R. Schermer; (5) Motivational Interviewing by Telephone and Telemedicine, by Catherine Baca; (6) Health Care as a Context for Treating Drug Abuse and Dependence, by Wilson M. Compton; and (7) Interventions for Heavy Drinking in Health Care settings: Barriers and Strategies, by Mark L. Willenbring.