Irish journal of medical science
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Guidelines issued by the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons suggest that the ratio of elective to emergency cases in plastic surgery units should be 2:1. ⋯ Expansion of staff numbers at consultant and non-consultant grades, and increased resources (allocated theatre sessions and outpatient clinics) were pivotal to this change.
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The Laboratory modernisation process in Ireland will include point of care testing (POCT) as one of its central tenets. However, a previous baseline survey showed that POCT was under-resourced particularly with respect to information technology (IT) and staffing. ⋯ Point of care testing remains under-resourced, despite the roll out of such devices throughout the health service including primary care. The present high standards of laboratory medicine may not be maintained if the quality and cost-effectiveness of POCT is not controlled. Adherence to national Guidelines and adequate resourcing is essential to ensure patient safety.
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The aim of this study was to determine the expression and function of miR-509-5p in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). ⋯ In this study, we have shown that miR-509-5p played an important role in RCC by inhibiting cell proliferation and migration and by promoting cell apoptosis. In addition, miR-509-5p expression was significantly lower in RCC patient plasma compared to that in normal individuals.
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Comparative Study
Does the cost of care differ for patients with fee-for-service vs. capitation of payment? A case-control study in gastroenterology.
There is growing evidence to demonstrate overuse of medical resources in fee for service (FFS) payment models (in which physicians are reimbursed according to volume of care provided) compared to capitation payment models (in which physicians receive a fixed salary regardless of level of care provided). In this medical centre, patients with and without insurance are admitted through the same access point (emergency room) and cared for by the same physicians. Therefore, apart from insurance status, all other variables influencing delivery of care are similar for both patient groups. However, physician reimbursement differs for both groups: FFS for patients with private insurance (i.e. the admitting physician's reimbursement escalates progressively with each day that the patient spends in hospital) and base salary irrespective of care provided for patients with universal insurance (capitation payment model). All admitting physicians are aware of the patient's insurance status and the duration of hospitalization is at the discretion of the admitting physician. This study aimed to compare cost of care of patients with and without insurance admitted to a teaching hospital with a primary gastroenterology or hepatology (GIH) diagnosis. ⋯ Inpatient hospital costs were equivalent for patients with and without private health insurance when care was provided in a single hospital. Provision of care for all patients in a common hospital setting regardless of health insurance status may reduce disparities in healthcare utilization.
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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an ancient Chinese medicine, which is used to treat psoriasis, asthma, and acute promyelocytic leukemia. ⋯ These data demonstrated that arsenic trioxide can reduce the severity of asthma attacks and induce the apoptosis of CD4+ T cell which the ER stress-CHOP pathway involved.