CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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To assess and compare the quality of nonstructured and structured abstracts of original research articles in three medical journals. ⋯ The findings support recommendations that promote the use of structured abstracts. Further studies should be performed to assess the effect of time on the quality of abstracts and the extent to which abstracts reflect the content of the articles.
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To determine obstetrician-gynecologists' (ob-gyns') awareness of and experience with sexual abuse of patients and former patients and their opinions about appropriate consequences. ⋯ Ob-gyns have varied opinions about how sexual abuse of patients should be defined and how it should be sanctioned. There is a discrepancy between proposed public policy and the beliefs of physicians to whom the policy is to be applied.
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To assess current red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices and to determine the potential impact of implementing recently published guidelines on RBC transfusion from the American College of Physicians (ACP). ⋯ According to the ACP guidelines, there was significant unnecessary blood use in the hospital surveyed. The guidelines provide a useful framework for assessing transfusion practices but may require further refinement to apply to a broader spectrum of clinical settings.
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To determine the prevalence and content of hospital policies on life-sustaining treatments (cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR], mechanical ventilation, dialysis, artificial nutrition and hydration, and antibiotic therapy for life-threatening infections) and advance directives in Canada. ⋯ Although about half of the public general hospitals surveyed had DNR policies few had policies regarding other life-sustaining treatments or advance directives. Existing policies could be improved if hospitals encouraged routine advance discussions, removed the restriction to terminally or hopelessly ill patients, scrutinized the use of the futility standard, stipulated procedures for conflict resolution, explicitly required communication of the decision to competent patients or substitute decision-makers of incompetent patients and scrutinized the provision allowing families and health care professionals to rescind the wishes of now incompetent patients.