ANZ journal of surgery
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ANZ journal of surgery · Mar 2001
Colorectal surgery in rural Australia: scars; a surgeon-based audit of workload and standards.
The collection and measurement of colorectal surgical workload, case management and clinical indicators have been mainly based on metropolitan specialist institutions. The aim of the present study was to examine the workload and standards of colorectal surgery in rural Australia. ⋯ The study sampled a very high percentage of rural colorectal surgery performed during the audit period. Colorectal surgery clinical indicators were comparable to other Australian studies. Anti-thrombotic and adjuvant therapy were identified as two areas requiring further education. Major surgery is being performed regularly in south-eastern rural Australia at a consistently high standard by surgeons who live and work in their rural community.
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ANZ journal of surgery · Mar 2001
Australian major incident nomenclature: it may be a 'disaster' but in an 'emergency' it is just a mess.
A standardized major incident nomenclature has practical applications for medical communication and audit of the medical response to incidents. ⋯ Australia lacks a uniform system of classifying and recording mass casualty incidents. This prevents both the independent clinical audit of the medical response to an incident and the cross-border comparison of the effectiveness of trauma systems to deal with multiple casualties. Australia's geography highlights the need to develop a nomenclature that allows medical practitioners, in isolated environments, to accurately describe an incident and the medical support that is required. The Potential Injury-Creating Event (PICE) nomenclature is a simple system to describe the functional impact of an event upon a community and the level of medical support required. It can be used to provide the basis for the uniform reporting of the medical management of major incidents within Australia.