Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Jul 2021
EVALUATION OF CALLING CRITERIA FOR THE RAPID RESPONSE SYSTEM UTILISING SINGLE VERSUS MULTIPLE PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETER DISTURBANCES.
The Adult Deterioration Detection System for Medical Emergency Team (MET) activation is widely used and includes single parameter (SP-MET) and multiple parameter (MP-MET) disturbances. Whether the patient characteristics, interventions and outcomes differ for SP-MET compared with MP-MET is uncertain. ⋯ SP-MET identify a cohort of patients at lower risk of requiring escalation of care and ICU admission. Given the resource intensity of MET activation, further research is warranted to determine whether alternative response strategies are appropriate for selected SP disturbances.
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Internal medicine journal · Jul 2021
The application of Telehealth to remote and rural Australians with chronic neurological conditions.
Patients with chronic disease in rural and remote regions endure limited access to specialised medicine. Telehealth has addressed this issue with demonstrable benefits such as a reduction in costs to patients. ⋯ Telehealth has proven to have multiple advantages, including improved access to healthcare, decreased costs, reduced inconvenience and improved management of chronic and complex conditions. The positive results advocate the use of telehealth for follow up of rural and remote patients with chronic disease.
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Obtaining informed consent is an important responsibility of all doctors and is a major component of their day-to-day practice. However, little is known regarding practising doctors' understanding of consent in relation to medical law. ⋯ The results from our survey suggest that there is a requirement to enhance the education of medical practitioners to meet the medicolegal requirements and optimise consent.
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Internal medicine journal · Jul 2021
Prevalence and sites of pain in remote-living older Aboriginal Australians, and associations with depressive symptoms and disability.
Pain is a growing public health problem associated with significant health and functional implications. Limited data exist for Aboriginal Australians. ⋯ High levels of pain were reported, although the prevalence of persistent pain was comparable to the general population. Identifying risk factors, improving pain recognition and assessment and evaluating culturally tailored management approaches should be a priority.
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Internal medicine journal · Jul 2021
Australia-Wide Cross-Sectional Survey of General Practitioners' Knowledge And Practice Of Lung Cancer Screening.
Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening can reduce lung cancer deaths in high-risk individuals, yet current Australian guidelines do not recommend screening. Little is known about current screening practices in Australia. ⋯ In Australia, lung cancer screening occurs outside a coordinated programme, and there is discordance between practice and national recommendations. This highlights an urgent need for clearer guidance from national and professional bodies.