Communication skills training for health care professionals improves the adult orthopaedic patient’s experience of quality of care

Rationale: Despite the fact that communication has become a core topic in health care, patients still experience the information provided as insufficient or incorrect and a lack of involvement. Objective: To investigate whether adult orthopaedic patients’ evaluation of the quality of care had improved after a communication skills training course for healthcare professionals. Design and methods: The study was designed as an intervention study offering professionals training in communicating with patients and colleagues. The outcome was measured by assessing patients’ experience of quality of care. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire and analysed using a linear regression model. Approval was obtained from the Danish Data Protection Agency. Results: A total of 3133 patients answered the questionnaire, 1279 before staff had attended courses and 1854 in the postcourse period, with response rates of 67.8 and 77.8%, respectively. After the course period, significant increases in responses indicating ‘considerable’ improvement were recorded for 15/19 questions, nonsignificant increases were registered for 3/19 questions and a statistically significant decrease for one question. Study limitations: This being an effectiveness study, it is deemed that the organizational changes taking place during the study period constitute no serious limitation. Response rates were comparable to those of other studies. Conclusion: Patients show increased satisfaction with the quality of health care after professionals have attended a communication skills training course, even when implemented in an entire department. Practice implications: We recommend that healthcare professionals are trained in patient‐centred communication and that training is extended to the entire organization.     

协定肢伤Ⅰ方口服、热敷治疗四肢闭合损伤大样本随机平行对照研究

[目的]观察协定肢伤I方口服热敷治疗四肢闭合损伤疗效。[方法]使用大样本随机平行对照方法,将2468例门诊及住院患者按掷骰子法随机分为两组。对照组1212例协定肢伤I方(红花、延胡索各15g,桃仁、川芎、赤芍、生三七粉另包冲服、当归、泽泻、桂枝、牛膝、山楂各10g),1剂/d,水煎300mL,早晚温服;蜡疗机熬化粗石蜡装塑料袋敷于患处,12h/次。治疗组1256例协定肢伤I方药渣加水送入湿热敷机内与敷布同煮30min,于伤后或术后24h将敷布外套棉布贴敷于伤处,30min/次,2次/d;协定肢伤I方口服同对照组。连续治疗7d为1疗程。观测临床症状、疼痛积分、肿胀指数、不良反应。治疗1疗程,判定疗效。[结果]治疗组痊愈922例,显效248例,有效63例,无效23例,总有效率98.16%。对照组痊愈705例,显效278例,有效105例,无效124例,总有效率89.76%。治疗组疗效优于对照组(P0.05)。相关指标两组均有改善(P0.05),治疗组改善优于对照组(P0.05)。[结论]协定肢伤I方口服热敷治疗四肢闭合损伤效果显著,值得推广。     

Occurrence and survival of synchronous pulmonary metastases in colorectal cancer: A nationwide cohort study

ObjectiveTo investigate the occurrence of synchronous colorectal cancer metastases (SCCM) confined to the lungs, risk factors for these metastases and their impact on survival.MethodsIn a nationwide cohort study of 26,200 patients data were prospectively entered into the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group’s (DCCG’s) database between May 2001 and December 2011. The recorded data were merged with data from the Danish Pathology Registry and the National Patient Registry. Multivariable logistic- and extended Cox regression analyses were used to adjust for confounding variables.ResultsIn total, 1970 patients (7.5%) had pulmonary SCCM of whom 736 (37%) had metastases exclusively in the lungs. Advanced age, recent years of diagnosis and a rectal index cancer were significantly associated with pulmonary SCCM. Adjustment for excess use of thoracic CT scans in rectal cancer patients did not alter this association (adjusted OR = 1.81 (95% CI: 1.46–2.25, P < 0.001)). Patients subjected to pulmonary metastasectomy, resection of primary tumour and chemotherapy had a superior overall survival compared with non-treated patients, especially when these therapeutic modalities were combined.ConclusionsThe occurrence of pulmonary SCCM was higher than previously reported and had a severe impact on survival. Our analyses suggest that pulmonary metastasectomy, resection of the primary tumour and chemotherapy may be a sound strategy in patients with confined pulmonary SCCM, but the risk of selection bias and consequent exaggeration of the treatment effect should be kept in mind. This study may serve as a reliable un-biased reference for future evaluation on detection strategies and potential therapeutic interventions.