Culture

A new study led by the University of Leicester has concluded that being able to see the GP of your choice in a doctor's surgery helps to reduce emergency hospital admissions.

The findings by researchers in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Leicester revealed a correlation between patients being able to see a preferred GP and emergency hospital admissions.

The research, published in Emergency Medical Journal, was led by Dr John Bankart, a research fellow in medical statistics at the University. The research was funded by the NHS.

Amsterdam, 17 May, 2011 - New analysis published by the UK journal Reproductive Health Matters shows that the criminalisation of abortion in Poland has led to the development of a vast illegal private sector with no controls on price, quality of care or accountability. Since abortion became illegal in the late 1980s the number of abortions carried out in hospitals has fallen by 99%. The private trade in abortions is, however, flourishing, with abortion providers advertising openly in newspapers.

Do we buy things because of their attributes, their price, or out of brand loyalty? This was one of the questions asked by researchers from the University of Seville (US), who studied families' behaviour in putting together their shopping basket. They did this by studying their consumption patterns for ground coffee and tomato puree.

17 May 2011 -- A reduction by half in the radiation dose to which cardiac patients are exposed during diagnostic perfusion imaging is now "feasible", according to an Israeli study.

Results from the study will be presented as a late-breaking trial at the International Conference of Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging (ICNC) in Amsterdam (15-18 May). ICNC is now one of the world's major scientific events in nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT imaging.

OAK BROOK, Ill. – A simple blood test may help prevent a serious complication associated with a contrast agent commonly used in MRI exams, according to a study published in the July issue of Radiology.

Within the past five years, use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) has been linked to the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), a rare disorder mainly affecting patients with severe kidney disease. But since 2008, restrictive GBCA administration guidelines implemented by Massachusetts General Hospital have proven effective in preventing NSF.

Most medical students feel they lack the skills and legal knowledge required to challenge poor clinical practice and promote better patient care, reveals research published ahead of print in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

This suggests more time and emphasis needs to be put on legal skills in the formal medical curriculum and that these need to be practised and honed during clinical training, the authors say.

ATS 2011, DENVER – A traditional Chinese herbal paste known as Xiao Chuan, or XCP, may help reduce winter exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study conducted by researchers in Beijing. The paste has been used to treat breathing difficulties in China for more than a thousand years.

The study results will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

ATS 2011, DENVER - Concern over vaccine safety is one of the primary factors preventing parents from having their asthmatic children vaccinated for influenza, or flu, according to Michigan researchers in a study presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver. Parents who do not vaccinate their children are also less likely to view flu as a"trigger" for their child's asthma, the researchers noted.

ATS 2011, DENVER – Waiting to seek emergency medical care for asthma exacerbations can result in worse outcomes, including hospitalization, according to a study conducted by researchers from New York. Patients who delay regular medical care also were sicker when finally seen by a doctor than patients who sought care when asthma exacerbations first occurred.

The study will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

ATS 2011, DENVER – A miniature, easy-to-carry ventilation system with a simple nasal mask may help patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) become more active, according to research conducted at medical centers in California and Utah. The compact design offers an attractive alternative to currently available larger, less comfortableventilators and masks.

The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

Patients who undergo a procedure to unblock a coronary artery are more likely to survive longer if they participate in structured follow-up care, according to research in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

In their 14-year analysis, researchers discovered a 46 percent relative reduction in death from all causes in patients who participated in cardiac rehabilitation following angioplasty.

Intensive care units (ICUs) that implemented a telemedicine intervention that included offsite electronic monitoring of processes and detection of nonadherence to best practices had lower hospital and ICU mortality, lower rates of preventable complications, and shorter hospital and ICU lengths of stay, according to a study that will appear in the June 1 issue of JAMA. The study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society

Surgical house staff and attending physicians who are reminded about the charges for ordering daily blood drawing for routine blood work appear to reduce the amount of routine blood tests ordered and the charges for these laboratory tests, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Among patients with a diagnosis of delusional skin infestation, neither biopsies nor patient-provided specimens provided objective evidence of skin infestation, according to a report posted online today that will be published in the September issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

ATS 2011, DENVER – According to a new study conducted by researchers in Connecticut, the Wii Fit™ offers patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) an effective workout – and one that, because it is enjoyable, patients are more likely to use.