Medical care
-
Administrative hospital discharge data are widely used to assess quality of care in patients undergoing certain procedures. However, little is known about the validity of administrative coding of procedure data. We conducted a detailed chart review to evaluate the accuracy and completeness of information on procedures in administrative data. ⋯ Validity of information on procedures in administrative discharge data appears to be related to type of procedures. Major procedures that are usually performed in operating rooms are reasonably well-coded. Meanwhile, minor procedures that are routinely performed on wards or in radiology departments are generally undercoded.
-
Research with human subjects is essential for most clinical and social science research. As such, the ethical treatment of subjects, including the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), is of paramount concern. The prevailing system of IRBs in the United States reflects an integrated approach in which research organizations have their own local IRB. Recent regulatory changes and a few high-profile problems have prompted proposals for greater investments in IRBs. ⋯ A discussion of the costs of benefits of having 3000 to 5000 local IRBs in the United States is warranted because other organizational arrangements could be economically and socially advantageous.
-
Comparative Study
Variation in access to health care for different racial/ethnic groups by the racial/ethnic composition of an individual's county of residence.
Although the majority of studies examining racial/ethnic disparities in health care have focused on the characteristics of the individual, more recently there has been growing attention to the notion that an individual's health practices could be influenced by the characteristics of the place where they reside. ⋯ Blacks and Latinos may perceive fewer barriers to care when they live in a county with a high prevalence of people of similar race/ethnicity. Conversely, whites may perceive more difficulty receiving care when they live in an area with a high prevalence of Latinos. Diminishing disparities in access to health care may require interventions that extend beyond the individual.
-
Chronic medical illness, depression, and use of acute medical services among Medicare beneficiaries.
This study assessed the relation of comorbid depressive syndrome with utilization of emergency department services and preventable inpatient hospitalizations among elderly individuals with chronic medical conditions. ⋯ For elderly individuals with at least 1 chronic medical condition, the presence of a depressive syndrome increased the odds of acute medical service use, suggesting that improvements in clinical management, access to mental health services, and coordination of medical and mental health services could reduce utilization.