Incentives for cooperation in quality improvement among hospitals--the impact of the reimbursement system.

Up to now, few analytical models have studied the incentives for cooperation in quality improvements among hospitals. Only those dealing with reimbursement systems have shown that, from the point of view of individual or competing hospitals, retrospective reimbursement is more likely to encourage quality improvements than prospective financing, while the reverse holds for efficiency improvements. This paper studies the incentives to improve the quality of hospital care, in an analytical model, taking into account the possibility of cooperative agreements, price besides non-price (quality) competition and quality improvements that may simultaneously increase demand, increase or reduce costs and spill over to rival hospitals. In this setting quality improvement efforts rise with the rate of prospective reimbursement, while the impact of the rate of retrospective reimbursement is ambiguous, but likely to be negative for quality improvements that are highly cost-reducting and create large spillovers. Cooperation may lead to more or less quality improvement than non-cooperative conduct, depending on the magnitude of spillovers and the degree of product market competition, relative to the net effect of quality on profits and the share of costs that is reimbursed retrospectively. Finally, the stability of cooperative agreements, supported by grim trigger strategies, is shown to depend upon exactly the opposite interaction between these factors.     

Long-term results of open reduction for residual subluxation in congenital dislocation of the hip: A new open reduction method involving 360° circumferential capsulotomy

We report satisfactory results with a new operative treatment, conducted via an extensive anterolateral approach, involving 360 degree circumferential capsulotomy, for residual subluxation in congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH). Long-term radiographic results of this procedure (group A) were compared retrospectively with the results of partial capsulotomy (group B), which preserved the posteroinferior joint capsule. The mean center edge angle in group A (22.5°) was greater than that in group B (16.0°). Satisfactory results were achieved in 11 of 15 hips (73%) (Severin class I or II) in group A, and in 5 of 12 hips (42%) in group B. These results suggest that whole circumferential capsulotomy can remove obstacles to complete reduction, and that acetabular development can be expected in hips reduced by the procedure, without the performance of innominate osteotomy. We believe that our technique is a useful alternative for the treatment of residual subluxation in CDH.     

Introducing expert systems to medical students using esta, Expert System Teaching Aid

Medical students are allocated little curriculum time for exposure to expert systems. ESTA, a computer model of an expert system, was developed to make best use of this time. The nature of the students' interaction with ESTA is described, and their reactions to the expert system concepts and the place of expert systems in medicine are presented. A discussion of these reactions draws some conclusions about teaching expert systems in particular, and computers in general, in the basic medical course.     

Eight years'' experience with a structured clinical examination

A structured clinical examination has been an integral component of the final-year examinations conducted by the Departments of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Adelaide for the last 8 years. It has been used as an alternative to the traditional clinical examination. This paper describes the results of ongoing student and examiner surveys carried out to determine their views and satisfaction with this new approach. It also briefly discusses the feasibility of introducing such an examination into a conventional medical school environment. The surveys showed a remarkable level of acceptance and support by both students and examiners. This positive reaction has been maintained over the 8-year period. The main reasons seem to be its perceived relevance and fairness. Students also appear to be directing their learning in a direction thought desirable by teachers. No significant problems have been encountered with the practical implementation of the method.     

芬太尼／哌替啶致Oddi括约肌痉挛的探讨

２００例择期胆囊切除＋术中胆道造影患者分二组；芬太尼１７ｕｇ／ｋｇ静注（Ｆ组，ｎ＝１００）、哌替啶１ｍｇ／ｋｇ静注。评价两种麻醉性镇痛药致Ｏｄｄｉ括约肌痉挛的发生率，结果：８例病人造影剂不能通过Ｏｄｄｉ括约肌、十二指肠不显影，胆总管下端显示“鸟嘴样”或“假结石”影像，后者３例病人胆总管探查阴性，静注纳络酮０．４ｍｇ后，全部病例造影剂顺利进入十二指肠。结论：硬膜外麻醉辅用小剂量芬太尼／哌替啶时Ｏｄｄ     

芸香甙对大鼠内囊血肿的治疗作用

芸香甙是黄酮类化合物，就其对大鼠内囊血肿的保护作用进行了初步研究。在内囊血肿大鼠模型上，芸香甙５０、１００ｍｇ．ｋｇ＾－１可以明显改善大鼠的神经症状，降低神经症状和评分；芸香甙显著降低脑组织的丙二醛含量和提高超氧化物歧化酶的活性。     

一种胰岛素抵抗的糖尿病特殊类型报告

报告５例对胰岛素抵抗的糖尿病特殊类型病例，其均具有胰岛素应用指征，但使用胰岛素后血糖却反而上升，逐渐增加胰岛素用量，则血糖值亦呈上升趋势。对该类病人的治疗，首先停用胰岛素，改用自制中药制剂及优降糖、降糖灵治疗，取得了良好效果。     

Self-directed learning in anatomy: incorporation of case-based studies into a conventional medical curriculum

This paper reports an attempt to develop self-directed learning skills in second-year medical students by introducing case-based projects into the gross anatomy course at a long-established medical school. The programme and students' responses to a questionnaire completed at the end of the year are presented. Information on the various resources used by students to find information is given. The performance of students in the case-based components of the course has been evaluated and also in the more traditional end-of-year written examination. The data confirm that students have recognized that the projects were about obtaining a deeper understanding of the anatomy, and the programme appears to have promoted the use and study of library texts.     

Immunoassays for proteins alkylated by nicotine-derived N-nitrosamines

Polyclonal antibodies recognizing the pyridyloxobutyl (POB) moiety of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were produced in rabbits immunized either with POB-bovine albumin or POB-Sepharose. The POB intermediates necessary to modify the protein were generated by alkaline (pH 9.0) treatment of the synthetic precursor 4-(carbethoxynitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone. In a competitive enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), 70 pmole NNK inhibited 50% of the binding of the anti-POB antibodies to POB-protein absorbed on microtiterplates. This 50% inhibition varied from 70 pmole to 200 nmole using a series of NNK analogues, depending on the integrity of the POB moiety. Immunological techniques initiated in this study detect NNK-protein conjugates or measure the quantity of POB groups liberated upon alkaline or acid treatment of NNK modified protein.     

Improved sib-pair linkage test for disease susceptibility loci

An improved sib-pair test for linkage is introduced which is superior to the previously proposed tests. The test is derived from the standard chi-squared goodness of fit statistic by restricting the alternative hypothesis to the genetically possible. Critical values are given and exact power comparisons are made with the previously proposed tests. The new test is shown to be more powerful for finite samples as well as being asymptotically uniformly most powerful. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.