Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Many medical laboratory tests can now be done near the patient (point-of-care testing, POCT), ranging from basic blood glucose measurement to complex coagulation testing. Switching from conventional laboratory testing to POCT shortens the time to decision-making about further testing or treatment, as delays are no longer caused by specimen transport and preparation, and the test results are rapidly available at the point of care. Better medical outcomes and lower costs may ensue. ⋯ POCT for certain applications is a useful complement to conventional laboratory testing. The future utilization of POCT will depend not only on technical advances, but also on developments in costs and reimbursement.
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Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a cardiovascular emergency with high morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Modern algorithms have considerably simplified the diagnosis and treatment of acute PE. It would be desirable for these algorithms to be rapidly implemented in routine practice, because speedy diagnosis and immediate treatment can lower the morbidity and mortality associated with PE.
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The aging of the population will make fecal incontinence an increasingly important socioeconomic problem in the coming decades. Already today, the cost to society of treating incontinence with inserts, diapers, and closed systems exceeds the total cost of all cardiac and anti-inflammatory medications. ⋯ The challenge today, therefore, is not just to encourage patients to seek medical help early, but also to raise physicians' awareness of fecal incontinence and their readiness to treat it, so that they can provide competent individual counseling and treatment to all patients who suffer from it.