Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række
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Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. · May 2009
[Cooperation between ambulance personnel and regular general practitioners].
The ambulance service in Norway has gone through a pronounced upgrading of skills and professionalization during the last 10 years. The purpose of this survey was to obtain knowledge on how the ambulance personnel perceive their own professional competence and their relationship to other occupational groups with whom they cooperate. ⋯ Ambulance personnel have strong confidence in their own occupational group's competence in practical handling of patients. Strengthened formal competence combined with increased possibilities for initial medical treatment in the ambulances, may have contributed to an expanded role for ambulance personnel within pre-hospital emergency care. Smooth cooperation between regular general practitioners and ambulance personnel requires that both parties increase their understanding of the other group's procedures and roles.
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Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. · May 2009
[Reliability of air ambulances--a survey in three municipalities in Helgeland?].
The Norwegian health authorities have promised the population equal health service, also in the most remote areas; the air ambulance system is important in reaching this goal. It is likely that changes in hospitals' systems for emergency preparedness will increasingly require air ambulance transport. We wanted to find out how reliable the air ambulance is in a remote area with difficult accessibility. ⋯ Our survey indicates that a considerable part of the population has poor air ambulance regularity during the winter. This must be taken into consideration when planning emergency health service.
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Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. · May 2009
[Equipment for diagnostics, laboratory analyses and treatment in out-of-hours services].
Availability of equipment for diagnostics and treatment in out-of-hours services in Norway is not documented and no guidelines exist on requirements for the various types of equipment (including drugs) needed. A knowledge basis on status and needs should be established so minimum requirements can be developed. ⋯ Availability of equipment and laboratory test repertoire for GPs on duty at out-of-hours services seems to depend on whether the services are shared with GP surgeries and also used at daytime, and the distance to ambulance, hospital and pharmacy. Lack of routines for laboratory work and low training frequency in acute medical procedures may lead to poor quality of the analyses and lower competence than needed.
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Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by recurrent tender nodules and boils, usually in the armpits and groins. Draining fistulas and hypertrophic scarring are hallmarks of more severe disease. The objective of this article is to review the clinical presentation, diagnostic considerations and treatment of the disease. ⋯ Hidradenitis suppurativa is probably underdiagnosed. The disease is often recalcitrant to treatment. The effect of medical treatment is not supported by high quality evidence.