Revista médica de Chile
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Bariatric surgery is considered the most effective treatment for severe obesity and its benefits include improvement in medical comorbidities. However, a higher rate of suicides after this type of surgery has been reported. ⋯ Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly evaluate these patients before surgery searching for suicide risk factors, deriving them to a mental health professional if necessary and follow their mental health after surgery. Considering that the literature on the topic is inconsistent, further research is needed.
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Since the publication of the Institute of Medicines report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System awareness of the importance of medical errors has increased. These are a major cause of morbidity and mortality and recent studies suggest that they can be the third leading cause of death in the United States. ⋯ Our goal is to provide an update on the major concepts related to medical errors, a review of Chilean legislation on the subject, and a bioethical analysis on the principles involved, along with a management proposal. We propose mandatory reporting of errors to the health institution where they occur, to serve as a measure of personal and team learning, and to disclose the error to patients, depending on their own preferences.
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Revista médica de Chile · Aug 2016
[Conflict of interest disclosure as a tool to improve the reliability of research].
Conflicts of interest are situations in which professional judgment concerning a primary interest, tends to be influenced by a secondary interest. These conflicts could compromise the reliability of biomedical research and result in the dissemination of biased results. ⋯ To be useful, it must be based on clear principles, it should help to perform a critical analysis and should be considered in the design of every research project. This review is an analysis of the conflicts of interest disclosure, its scope and limitations and should contribute to develop a greater awareness of its importance.
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Revista médica de Chile · Aug 2016
[Perceptions of faculty members and students about undergraduate training in primary health care].
It is unknown if medical education is preparing physicians to successfully work at primary health care settings. ⋯ Medical Schools are not preparing professionals for primary health care but for hospital care and specialized medicine.
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Since doctors disposed of effective tools to serve their patients, they had to worry about the proper management of available resources and how to deal with the relationship with the industry that provides such resources. In this relationship, health professionals may be involved in conflicts of interest that they need to acknowledge and learn how to handle. This article discusses the conflicts of interest in nephrology. ⋯ Conflicts of interest of professionals in the renal area and related scientific societies, with the industry producing equipment, supplies and drugs are reviewed. Dichotomy, payment for referral, self-referral of patients and incentives for cost control are analyzed. Finally, recommendations to help preserve a good practice in nephrology are made.