The American journal of managed care
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To determine if ethnic minority physicians experience more barriers in acquiring and maintaining managed care contracts than white physicians, and to determine if the physician's perceptions of his or her ability to provide appropriate care to patients varies with physician ethnicity. ⋯ Although we did not find overwhelming evidence of discrimination against ethnic minority physicians, differences in rates of termination, type of practice, board certification rates, and managed care affiliation were related to physician ethnicity.
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Editorial Comment
Equal employment opportunity in managed care organizations.
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To determine the need for routine third-trimester antibody screening in Rh+ women. ⋯ Based on the patient and hospital records studied, a repeat third-trimester antibody screen for Rh+ patients is clinically and economically unjustified. Eliminating this laboratory test from clinical practice will not adversely affect pregnancy outcomes and will decrease the costs of prenatal care.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The impact of schizophrenic patient functionality on service utilization and cost. Based on a presentation by Sandra L. Tunis, PhD.
With the advent of atypical agents in the treatment of schizophrenia, physicians and policy makers must consider the costs that may accompany greater clinical efficacy. Analyses reveal that olanzapine shows a greater clinical cost effectiveness, as well as a greater functional cost effectiveness, than haloperidol, and that functional outcomes, in particular, show promise as important measures of effectiveness. ⋯ When comparing olanzapine with haloperidol, cost savings are seen throughout the treatment period (1 year), with physical functioning most highly affected over time. Functional outcomes can therefore serve 2 purposes: to enhance compliance by improving health-related quality of life and to assist in making both treatment and formulary decisions.