The Medical journal of Australia
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To assess self-reported adherence to measures for preventing infection in patients registered in the Victorian Spleen Registry (VSR). ⋯ The proportion of VSR registrants adhering to current postsplenectomy guidelines was higher than rates reported elsewhere, and over a third reported infections requiring a course of antibiotics within the prior 12 months. However, only one OPSI occurred. These results support the view that a spleen registry can promote health maintenance behaviour in asplenic patients, which is likely to help prevent serious infections.
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Multicenter Study
A national study of the processes and outcomes of paediatric formulary applications in Australia.
To evaluate the processes by which pharmaceuticals are added to the formularies of Australian paediatric hospitals. ⋯ There is limited high-quality evidence informing paediatric hospital-based drug approvals. Approval processes vary considerably among institutions with substantial duplication of effort and variable outcomes. Resources and training appear insufficient given the technical complexity of submissions. A national, standardised approach to hospital-based drug evaluation could reduce overlap and improve decision making.
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A large literature base on telemedicine exists, but the evidence base for telemedicine is very limited. There is little practical or useful information to guide clinicians and health policymakers. Telemedicine is often implemented based on limited or no prior formal analysis of its appropriateness to the circumstances, and adoption of telemedicine by clinicians has been slow and patchy. ⋯ Methods typically used to assess effectiveness in medicine are often difficult, expensive or impractical to apply to telemedicine. Formal studies of telemedicine should examine efficacy, effectiveness, economics and clinician preferences. Successful adoption and sustainable integration of telemedicine into routine care could be improved by evidence-based implementation.