Postgraduate medical journal
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Twenty per cent of Accident and Emergency department attendance by the elderly in a regional hospital in Hong Kong were deemed 'avoidable' by the attending doctors. The 'avoidable' attendants were younger and physically more independent than the appropriate attendants, and more of them were illiterate. Half of them attended the Accident and Emergency department for somatic complaints. Strategies to reduce these 'avoidable' attendances should be formulated.
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As the body of medical literature continues to expand, physicians must develop the necessary skills to keep up with the vast amount of information available. The journal club provides a forum to allow residents to remain current with the literature while also teaching them the methods to evaluate it critically. ⋯ Periodic evaluation of this conference will allow the organisers to assess the concordance of the resident's goals with those of the faculty. Formal evaluation will also provide an objective assessment of the knowledge gained by the house-staff through participation in journal club.
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A case of a spontaneous pneumothorax occurring three days post-pneumonectomy is presented. Difficulties in diagnosis and management are discussed.