One Recommendation (one + recommendation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The role and duties of scientific medical societies: The German Society of Dermatology from the member's perspective

JOURNAL DER DEUTSCHEN DERMATOLOGISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT, Issue 1 2010
Peter Hensen
Summary Background: The German Society of Dermatology is a scientific medical society that represents the interests of German-speaking dermatology. One recommendation of a strategic planning mission was to increase the involvement of society members. Methods: Based on an empirical approach (questionnaire survey) a systematic member inquiry was performed which focused on the motives for membership, the image of the society,the use of provided services,and expectations and needs. Items regarding profession and health politics, continuous education and specialist training, and scientific representation and research promotion were considered in equal measure. Results: In total, 931 usable questionnaires were available with a response rate of 28.4%. Various single results could be integrated in a subsequent strategic dialogue. The German Society of Dermatology is regarded as active and powerful in scientific issues and promotion of research. However, numerous expectations have been expressed to strengthen future activities in professional and health care related issues. Needs and demands differ if members are scientifically active or rather not. Conclusions: A scientific society in general acts in a permanent area of conflict and has to deal with multiple positions and interests. Thereby members' needs and demands may vary dependent on individual and professional backgrounds. Members who are not scientifically active should be more integrated in the society while at the same time the society's aims should be coordinated with that of the Berufsverband (organization of practicing dermatologists). Better networking is required both within the society and with outside groups. In addition, the primary aims and objectives of the society should be made even clearer to all interested parties. [source]


Duty Hours in Emergency Medicine: Balancing Patient Safety, Resident Wellness, and the Resident Training Experience: A Consensus Response to the 2008 Institute of Medicine Resident Duty Hours Recommendations

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010
Mary Jo Wagner MD
Abstract Representatives of emergency medicine (EM) were asked to develop a consensus report that provided a review of the past and potential future effects of duty hour requirements for EM residency training. In addition to the restrictions made in 2003 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the potential effects of the 2008 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on resident duty hours were postulated. The elements highlighted include patient safety, resident wellness, and the resident training experience. Many of the changes and recommendations did not affect EM as significantly as other specialties. Current training standards in EM have already emphasized patient safety by requiring continuous on-site supervision of residents. Resident fatigue has been addressed with restrictions of shift lengths and limitation of consecutive days worked. One recommendation from the IOM was a required 5-hour rest period for residents on call. Emergency department (ED) patient safety becomes an important concern with the decrease in the availability and in the patient load of a resident consultant that may result from this recommendation. Of greater concern is the already observed slower throughput time for admitted patients waiting for resident care, which will increase ED crowding and decrease patient safety in academic institutions. A balance between being overly prescriptive with duty hour restrictions and trying to improve resident wellness was recommended. Discussion is included regarding the appropriate length of EM training programs if clinical experiences were limited by new duty hour regulations. Finally, this report presents a review of the financing issues associated with any changes. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:1004,1011 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source]


Improving the effectiveness of process safety management in small companies

PROCESS SAFETY PROGRESS, Issue 4 2008
Joseph F. Louvar
Abstract Major accidents are continuing to injure people, and damage facilities and the environment. About 50% of these accidents are in plants that are covered by process safety management (PSM) and 50% are in smaller plants that are not covered. However, the damage is the same. Clearly the OSHA PSM regulation and recommendations by CSB, CCPS, PSP, etc. are not being used as specified. The objective of this paper is to express an enthusiastic support for these major excellent recommendations and to make a few additional recommendations that should enhance those previously listed. This article describes (a) specifically designed methods to improve the implementation of PSM and the above-mentioned recommendations and (b) additional plant practices for preventing accidents. The methods and practices presented in this article are especially important for smaller plants; most of the larger companies already have good systems to prevent accidents. However, since many of the large accidents are in PSM-covered plants, some of these larger plants may also benefit from these additional recommendations. One recommendation is that small companies, although not covered by PSM, should practice the intent of the regulation. At a minimum, companies should develop a document that is at least similar to the PSM documentation. However, this article emphasizes that this documentation is not enough because the management of the requirements is extremely difficult. Companies need to have a system that includes the PSM documents, communication, delegation, and follow-up to insure that the requirements are practiced as intended. Based on the author's experience, the use of additional plant practices such as an effective management system, internal audits, walk-the-line, and checklists will enhance the utilization of PSM. These practices are easy to use and will prevent accidents. More of these methods and practices are needed and should be shared between companies. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2008 [source]


Clinical medication review by a pharmacist of elderly people living in care homes: pharmacist interventions

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 2 2007
David P Alldred research clinical pharmacist
Objectives To describe the rate and nature of pharmacist interventions following clinical medication review of elderly people living in care homes. Setting Care home residents aged 65+ years, prescribed at least one repeat medication, living in nursing, residential and mixed care homes for older people in Leeds, UK. Method Analysis of data from care home residents receiving clinical medication review in the intervention arm of a randomised controlled trial. Intervention outcomes for each medicine were evaluated for each resident. Key findings Three-hundred and thirty-one residents were randomised to receive a clinical medication review and 315 (95%) were reviewed by the study pharmacist; 256 (77%) residents had at least one recommendation made to the general practitioner. For the 2280 medicines prescribed, there were 672 medicine-related interventions: medicines for cardiovascular system (167 (25%)), nutrition and blood (121 (18%)), central nervous system (113 (17%)) and gastrointestinal conditions (86 (13%)) accounted for 487 (73%) of medicine-related interventions. There were 75 non-medicine-related interventions. The most common interventions were ,technical' (225 (30%)), ,test to monitor medicine' (161 (22%)), ,stop drug' (100 (13%)), ,test to monitor conditions' (75 (10%)), ,start drug' (76 (10%)), ,alter dose' (40 (5%)) and ,switch drug' (37 (5%)). Recommendations to stop a medicine were most common for CNS drugs (32 (32%)). The most common medicine to be recommended to be started was calcium and vitamin D (45 (59%)). Following a recommendation to test to monitor a medicine, 23 (14%) medicines required a change. Conclusions This study has demonstrated that clinical medication review by a pharmacist can identify medicine problems in approximately 80% of care home residents, requiring intervention in 1 in 4 of their prescribed medications. [source]