Archives of internal medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Patient comprehension of an interactive, computer-based information program for cardiac catheterization: a comparison with standard information.
Several studies suggest that standard verbal and written consent information for treatment is often poorly understood by patients and their families. The present study examines the effect of an interactive computer-based information program on patients' understanding of cardiac catheterization. ⋯ Results suggest that an interactive computer-based information program for cardiac catheterization may be more effective in improving patient understanding than conventional written consent information. This technology, therefore, holds promise as a means of presenting understandable detailed information regarding a variety of medical treatments and procedures.
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Little is known about how the characteristics of adverse events (AEs) affect the likelihood of disclosure or how the disclosure of an AE relates to patients' perception of quality of care. ⋯ Rates of disclosure of AEs by medical personnel remain low in hospitalized patients. Disclosure of some of these events is associated with higher ratings of quality by patients.
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It is unclear if increasing pressure on primary care physicians to be more efficient has affected visit duration or quality of care. We sought to describe changes in the duration of adult primary care visits and in the quality of care provided during these visits and to determine whether quality of care is associated with visit duration. ⋯ Adult primary care visit frequency, quality, and duration increased between 1997 and 2005. Modest relationships were noted between visit duration and quality of care. Providing counseling or screening required additional physician time, but ensuring that patients were taking appropriate medications seemed to be independent of visit duration.