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Few clinical situations place intensive care practitioners in a more uncomfortable position than does treating patients of the Jehovahs Witness faith. The faith-based refusal of autogenous or allogenic blood transfusions conflicts with the typical life-saving intent implicit in the critical care environment. However, it is our obligation to have a basic level of understanding of the set of beliefs that leads to the choice to refuse this specific set of life-saving therapies, while accepting other aspects of modern medical care.
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Positive Alendronate Data in Osteoporosis; NSAIDs For Myocardial Infarction; Four-Hour Window for CAP Patients; FDA Actions.
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In this special feature, up-to-date information will be provided regarding the risks and benefits of various diagnostic methods available today for patients of advanced maternal age (AMA).
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Women who initially were diagnosed with Stage IA disease and who had serous borderline tumors or underwent cystectomy appeared to derive the most benefit from restaging surgery. Nonetheless, the indications for restaging surgery remain controversial, as no difference in recurrence rate was observed between women who underwent restaging and those who did not.
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Increasing numbers of elderly Americans spend their last days in nursing homes, and very few benefit from hospice services, experts say. Researchers and national health care experts predict that the number of people who die in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities will continue to rise in coming decades as the baby boomers age.
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is expanding its successful preventive health programs into the community, partnering with local organizations to offer health improvement programs to the public.
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A home monitoring program for patients with complex chronic conditions has reduced hospitalizations by as much as 50% to 80%, according to Charles Hart, vice president of Cardiocom, a Minneapolis-based company that works with managed care companies, hospitals, and medical groups at risk for cost of care to manage complex patients.
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The Case Management Society of America (CMSA), based in Little Rock, AR, is changing all that with the development of Case Management Adherence Guidelines (CMAG-1) designed to guide case managers in helping their clients stick to their prescribed medication regimen.
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Microbicide products remain in the testing stages and have not been approved by the Food and Drugs Administration; but as some move closer to market, investigators are looking at how likely it is that women will use these products for protection against HIV infection.
