OBJECTIVE To identify characteristics of early arthritis units, that may be associated with better referral eficiency. METHODS A national survey of the 36 early arthritis units (EAU) in Spanish Rheumatology Units in 2004 (SERAP project). Survey collected information about general practitioners (GP) educational program to improve knowledge and practical skills of early arthritis, networking an...

PURPOSE Given concerns about end-of-life care for many nursing home (NH) residents, this study sought to understand factors influencing hospice referral or nonreferral as well as timing of referral. DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted semistructured interviews with personnel from seven participating NHs and two hospices. We interviewed NH directors of nursing regarding facility referral practices...

introduction: william's flexion exercise is recommended for any kind of non-specific low back pain. however, no clinical trial study has yet determined its effect. this study examines the effect of william's flexion exercise on pain intensity and disability in patient s with chronic non-specific and referral low back pain. materials and methods: this clinical t rial study included 32 patients w...

background few studies in india as well as in most developing countries have compared the mortality and morbidity rates between chronic kidney disease patients who were referred early to nephrologists and those who were referred late. objectives to study the mortality and morbidity patterns and to compare the various clinical parameters between the abovementioned early and late referrals. patie...

background and objective: congenital heart disease (chd) is the most form of cardiovascular disease in children. chd have different presentations, from defects that progress asymptomatically to those with significant symptoms and high mortality. this study was performed to highlight the importance of signs and symptoms to diagnosis of chd neonates. materials & methods: this descriptive an...

Background: Recognition and referral of sick children to a facility where they can obtain appropriate treatment is critical for helping reduce child mortality. A well-functioning referral system and compliance by caretakers with referrals are essential. This paper examines referral patterns for sick children, and factors that influence caretakers' compliance with referral of sick children to hi...

In this study, an investigation of long-term forecasts relating to the development of the transport sector in Poland is performed, including the ones by 2030 and 2050. Selected transport development forecasts from the perspective of the membership of Poland in the European Union are presented and most of all, from the perspective of national studies. The basement for the review was the prognosi...

OBJECTIVE To analyze maternal deaths at Nkhoma Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Hospital and identify factors causing delays in care. METHODS Maternal death audits are performed after every maternal death at Nkhoma CCAP Hospital. Information regarding the care provided at the health facility, the referral process, and any delays in the community was collected by an audit team usin...

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of referral management on diabetes care. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) is a multicenter study of managed care enrollees with diabetes. Prospective referral management was defined as "gatekeeping" and mandatory preauthorization from a utilization management office, and retrospe...