Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
-
Signs and symptoms can be considered as diagnostic tests, updating prior odds by applying Bayes' theorem. In homeopathy, signs and symptoms guide the doctor when prescribing appropriate medicines but the powers of these indicators are largely based on common experience. ⋯ A diagnostic patient-outcome study within homeopathy collecting a large amount of data is demonstrated. Results partly confirm clinical practice at a 95% confidence level. This kind of research could validate knowledge from practical experience.
-
To use structured implicit review following large-scale explicit audit of antipsychotic polyprescribing to: (1) determine the true rate of antipsychotic polytherapy that deviated from best practice for schizophrenia treatment; and (2) assess whether explicit antipsychotic polytherapy criterion was appropriate for identifying patients at risk for medication problems and assessing quality of care. ⋯ Audit of prescribing in routine practice using explicit guideline-based criteria may be a useful baseline performance indicator. It does not provide an accurate measurement of quality of care because it overestimates the deviation rate from good practice. It may also identify complex patients at risk for poor treatment outcomes who may benefit from structured treatment review.
-
To evaluate the prevalence of long-term urinary catheter (UC) indwelling and potentially inappropriate urinary catheterization among residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Taiwan. ⋯ The prevalence of long-term UC indwelling among Taiwanese LTCF residents was high and a high proportion of their UC may be removable. A national audit and introducing a practice guideline for continence care in LTCFs may help to promote quality of care for institutionalized older people in Taiwan.
-
This study aimed to develop and validate a short version of the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS) that would reduce respondent burden and could be used in routine cancer care, without compromising the psychometric properties of the original instrument. ⋯ The SCNS-SF34 is a valid instrument for measuring cancer patients' perceived needs across a range of domains, and could be utilized as part of routine cancer care.
-
Trust in one's doctor has been associated with increased treatment adherence, patient satisfaction and improved health status. This study investigated the level and correlates of patient trust in their cardiac specialist. ⋯ The significance of education is corroborated by findings of lower satisfaction with cardiac care among those of higher socio-economic status, despite having generally greater access to care in Ontario. Moreover, the relationship between hypertension and greater trust may suggest that such perceptions are not based on doctor competence. Future studies should further investigate the correlates of trust, as well as the impact of trust on cardiac health outcomes.