Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Oct 2009
Comparative StudyThe development and implementation of the pathway for improving the care of the dying in general medical wards.
The majority of deaths in Australia occur in general hospital wards and most are neither sudden nor unexpected. The Pathway for Improving the Care of the Dying (PICD) is an adaptation of the Liverpool Care Pathway to the Australian healthcare setting (or 'to Australian conditions') and is designed to help ensure a 'good death' for patients dying outside the palliative care system. PICD consists of a series of prompts, guidelines, revised medical and nursing care plans and a number of medication algorithms.
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Internal medicine journal · Oct 2009
Comparative StudyExamination of opioid prescribing in Australia from 1992 to 2007.
Opioid prescribing is controversial with evidence of both significant under-utilization and over-utilization. There is some evidence to support efficacy for chronic non-malignant pain, but community and individual harms are increasingly reported. ⋯ Opioid use is increasing. There is a pressing need for co-ordinated assessment of efficacy and harms to facilitate quality usage of opioids.