How Appropriate Are Appropriate-use Criteria?

Appropriate Use Criteria.

Can appropriate use criteria lead to appropriate care?

T he rapid pace of technological development has brought a wealth of diagnostic and therapeutic options to the care of patients. These new diagnostic and therapeutic tools have dramatically altered medical care but have come with a steep price tag, and it is not clear that the improvement in the quality of care is proportional to the cost of the medical system. In recognition of the fact that t...

Understanding appropriate use criteria in nuclear medicine.

There has been a significant increase in cardiac radionuclide imaging over the past decade, leading to a corresponding increase in scrutiny from Federal and private health plans questioning the necessity of these tests. In response to efforts by third-party payers to limit all types of cardiovascular imaging studies, the American College of Cardiology Foundation, in conjunction with other profe...

Gobar Gas Plants: How Appropriate Are They?

The technology of producing methane gas from cow-dung and other wastes and using it as fuel for various, purposes has received considerable attention in India during the last de-cade. In the light of the growing energy shortage that the country facesgobar gas is being cited as having great potential for answering the energy needs of rural areas. Ink this climate it is relevant to explore the de...

Antimicrobial use in Australian hospitals: how much and how appropriate?

Antimicrobial agents play a central role in modern health care, especially in the hospital setting. This article describes the currently available information on the volumes of antimicrobial use in Australian hospitals, the appropriateness of that use, and the levels of compliance with nationally or locally endorsed prescribing guidelines. The data presented here come from the 2014 National Ant...