Medical care
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
The effect of automated calls with telephone nurse follow-up on patient-centered outcomes of diabetes care: a randomized, controlled trial.
We evaluated the impact of automated telephone disease management (ATDM) calls with telephone nurse follow-up as a strategy for improving outcomes such as mental health, self-efficacy, satisfaction with care, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among low-income patients with diabetes mellitus. ⋯ This intervention had several positive effects on patient-centered outcomes of care but no measurable effects on anxiety or HRQL.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Benefit-cost analysis of brief physician advice with problem drinkers in primary care settings.
Few studies have estimated the economic costs and benefits of brief physician advice in managed care settings. ⋯ These results offer the first quantitative evidence that implementation of a brief intervention for problem drinkers can generate positive net benefit for patients, the health care system, and society.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Community-based Spanish language arthritis education program: a randomized trial.
To determine 4-month and 1-year health-related outcomes of a 6-week, lay-led, and community-based arthritis self-management program for Spanish-speaking participants and to determine the role of self-efficacy in predicting health status for this population. ⋯ Spanish-speaking participants of an arthritis self-management program demonstrate short- and long-term benefits (improved health behaviors, health status, and self-efficacy).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Special issues in assessing care of Medicaid recipients.
The authors describe the process used to develop and test survey items targeted to Medicaid consumers for the Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study (CAHPS). In addition, the authors highlight the special challenges in locating and surveying Medicaid recipients and provide recommendations for increasing response rates. ⋯ The testing and formatting efforts described in this article, in combination with a formal literacy review, led to the development of a Medicaid questionnaire that measures the important health care experiences of Medicaid consumers in a format that is "respondent-friendly." Our recommendations for surveying Medicaid recipients can benefit any survey of a Medicaid population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A firm trial of interdisciplinary rounds on the inpatient medical wards: an intervention designed using continuous quality improvement.
In August 1993 a group of house staff and nursing staff at MetroHealth Medical Center formed a quality improvement team to evaluate the process of medical care on the inpatient wards. Using standard continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods, a team of medical interns, nurses, and other health professionals involved in patient care on the medicine inpatient service designed interdisciplinary, daily work rounds to improve the care of patients on the inpatient wards. ⋯ Previous studies of interdisciplinary teams have failed to show statistically significant cost savings. This study involving more patients shows both cost and LOS decreases with the use of interdisciplinary teams. At the end of the 6-month trial, interdisciplinary rounds were instituted on all medicine inpatient services.