BMJ : British medical journal
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To determine whether among people aged 65 and over those who died at advanced old age spent more of their last year of life in hospital than those who died younger, and whether the increase in longevity in the elderly between 1976 and 1985 was accompanied by increased time spent in hospital in the last year of life. ⋯ The gain in life expectancy in this population was not at the expense of any substantial increase in time spent in hospital in the final year of life.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Cognitive and functional competence after anaesthesia in patients aged over 60: controlled trial of general and regional anaesthesia for elective hip or knee replacement.
To determine the influence of general or regional anaesthesia on long term mental function in elderly patients. ⋯ Cognitive and functional competence in elderly patients was not detectably impaired after either general or regional anaesthesia when attention was paid to the known perioperative influences on mental function.
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To assess patients' satisfaction with postoperative pain relief. ⋯ The results suggest that the standard of postoperative pain relief is poor because of inadequate education of patients in what to expect (and demand), and of medical and nursing staff in how to prescribe and administer analgesia with reference to individual drug response.
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To investigate the effects on general practitioners' activities of a change in their remuneration from a capitation based system to a mixed fee per item and capitation based system. ⋯ Introducing a partial fee for service system seemed to stimulate the provision of services by general practitioners, resulting in reduced referral rates. The concept of a "target income" which doctors aim at, rather than maximising their income seemed to play a part in adjustment to changing the system of remuneration.