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Biomedical subjects

J A Robbins

Publications and source records attributed to J A Robbins.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

The influence of gender on physician practice style.

As more women enter medicine, intriguing questions arise about how physician gender impacts practice style. To measure this influence in primary care encounters, 118 male and 132 female adult new patients, having no stated preference for a specific physician, were randomly assigned to university hospital primary care residents, and their initial encounters were videotaped. Forty-eight male and 33 female physicians participated. Patient health status was assessed before the visit with the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form General Health Survey. Physician practice style was evaluated by using the Davis Observation Code to analyze videotapes of each initial visit. Patient satisfaction with medical care was assessed with satisfaction questionnaires. Contrary to prior reports, the difference between male and female physicians in total time spent with patients was small and statistically insignificant, and diminished further when controlling for patient gender and health status. Female physicians, however, were observed to engage in more preventive services and to communicate differently with their patients. These differences in practice style appear to explain partially the observed higher patient satisfaction scores for female physicians. This study underscores the importance of careful measurement and control of potential confounding factors in clarifying the impact of physician gender on practice style.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The effect of patient health status on physician practice style.

BACKGROUND: The recent development of health status measures now facilitates the study of how patient health influences physician practice style. METHODS: The health status of 150 new patients at a university primary care center was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form General Health Survey. Videotapes of the physician-patient encounter were analyzed with the Davis Observation Code to explore the effect of patient health status on physician practice style. RESULTS: Regression analyses demonstrated that better health was predictive of a greater portion of the visit being spent on physical examination and chatting and a smaller portion of the visit on history taking. Counseling was predicted by diminished patient mental health scores. Preliminary evidence was found for different practice styles based on patient characteristics such as sex, age, education, and income. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the physician-patient encounter is strongly influenced by health status. It will be crucial for future studies of physician-patient interaction to include an assessment of the patient's health status.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Lipid management program: results of applying national guidelines in a private practice.

In our large single-specialty cardiology practice, we implemented a lipid management program based on the recommendations of the Expert Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program and the Helsinki Heart Study. This program used allied health professionals and customized computer software to deliver efficient, comprehensive care to the 1214 patients enrolled in the program after 33 months. Data are reported for the 543 patients enrolled for more than 1 year. Cholesterol data were analyzed for all patients whose initial triglyceride values were less than 400 mg/dL. For this group of patients, the mean cholesterol level decreased from 242.7 to 217.4 mg/dL, triglycerides fell from 170.0 to 144.7 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol increased from 41.6 to 42.9 mg/dL, and LDL cholesterol fell from 167.2 to 145.7 mg/dL. Using guidelines modified from the National Cholesterol Education Program, a significant number of patients were able to achieve desirable LDL and HDL goals. Modified national guidelines can be used effectively in a private practice setting.

Cardiology↗
PubMed1993

The influence of physician practice behaviors on patient satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Previous research on the relationship between physician behavior and patient satisfaction has not always used standardized terminology and instruments to measure physician behavior. The Davis Observation Code (DOC) provides a reliable and valid means of analyzing clinically relevant units of physician behavior. The units of behavior can then be related to patient satisfaction. METHODS: One hundred new patients randomly assigned to receive care from primary care residents at a university medical center outpatient facility were evaluated. Before seeing their physicians, patients completed a previsit questionnaire to determine their general level of satisfaction with health care. During the visit, the encounter was videotaped and physician behavior characterized using DOC. After the appointment, patients completed a visit-specific satisfaction questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to model the visit-specific satisfaction variables in terms of DOC measurements. RESULTS: Total visit-specific satisfaction was positively related to previsit satisfaction (P < or = .05) and to time spent on health education (P < or = .001), physical examination (P < or = .05), and discussion of treatment effects (P < or = .01). There was a negative relationship with time spent on history taking (P < or = .01). Slightly more than 25% of the variability in satisfaction was explained by these five variables (R2 = .26). The general, humaneness, and quality/competence subscales of visit-specific satisfaction were also positively related to health education, physical examination, and treatment effects and negatively related to history taking. CONCLUSIONS: Patients are most satisfied with medical visits in which they talk about their specific therapeutic interventions, are examined, and receive health education. Extended general discussion of medical history is negatively related to satisfaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Periventricular white matter changes and oropharyngeal swallowing in normal individuals.

Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed patchy periventricular white matter lesions or "unidentified bright objects" (UBOs) in otherwise neurologically intact individuals. Quantitative videofluoroscopic swallowing evaluations and cranial MRI examinations were studied in 49 neurologically normal volunteers (ages 43 to 79 years). Total swallowing duration (TSD) and its subcomponents of oral transit duration (OTD), stage transition duration (STD), and pharyngeal response duration were measured for liquid and semisolid swallows. MRIs were graded from 0, or no UBOs, to 3, or multiple and confluent lesions. The effect of the presence of UBOs on swallowing durational measures and risk factors was analyzed with age differences accounted for statistically (ANCOVA). TSD and OTD for semisolids were significantly differentiated by MRI score (P less than 0.009 and P less than 0.047, respectively). That is, a demonstrable effect was found for an increased number of UBOs on duration of oropharyngeal swallowing in normal individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Cholesterol knowledge and practices among patients compared with physician management in a university primary care setting.

Lowering elevated serum cholesterol has been shown to reduce the risk of symptomatic coronary heart disease. The National Institute of Health and National Cholesterol Education Program recommend that all adults obtain a cholesterol screening and state that desirable adult levels are less than 200 mg/dl. This study examined the knowledge and practices regarding cholesterol among patients and physicians in a university-based primary care clinic that serves a large proportion of elderly and indigent patients. One hundred fifty-nine patients were interviewed and their medical records were examined. Twenty-four percent of patients were aware of their elevated cholesterol levels, 60% were aware of the health risks associated with hypercholesterolemia, and 83% were able to state methods of lowering cholesterol levels. Approximately 50% stated that they were making considerable efforts to lower fat and cholesterol consumption. Physicians listed cholesterol as a problem in 29% of patients with elevated values (greater than 200 mg/dl) and counseled 17%. Results indicate a good level of knowledge and interest in cholesterol as a health risk even in this group of patients with the multiple problems associated with low socioeconomic status. Knowledge of personal risk status, however, was poor. Physicians need to improve documentation, counseling, and monitoring of patients with elevated cholesterol levels. Long-term follow-up is needed to evaluate efficacy.

California↗
PubMed1989

Utilization of hospital services. A comparison of internal medicine and family practice.

Five hundred twenty new patients were randomly and prospectively assigned to receive care in the Internal Medicine Clinic or Family Practice Clinic of a large university hospital. Previous analyses of outpatient data demonstrated that the frequency of visits to the clinic of primary care, acute care clinic, emergency room, and consultant clinics were all significantly higher for patients randomized to internal medicine compared with family practice. In the present study, patients' charts were reviewed for information regarding hospitalizations. During the 3.4-year study period, there were a total of 61 hospital admissions for internal medicine (35 of 249 patients), and 58 for family practice (27 to 271 patients). Age (mean 47 years) and sex of patients in both groups were equivalent. The average total cost of hospitalization for each patient was greater for those randomized to the Internal Medicine Clinic: $7,193 for internal medicine patients as compared with $5,764 for family practice patients. The professional costs per hospitalization showed greater variation: $913 for Internal Medicine Clinic patients and $629 for Family Practice Clinic patients. Internal Medicine Clinic patients had a longer mean length of hospitalization (7.5 days) when compared with that of Family Practice Clinic patients (6.3 days). It can be concluded that in this clinical environment the hospitalization patterns are different for patients assigned to the Internal Medicine Clinic compared with the Family Practice Clinic: both cost and length of care for hospitalization are less for those followed by the Family Practice Clinic.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Gatekeeping in primary care: a comparison of internal medicine and family practice.

Five hundred twenty new patients were randomly and prospectively assigned to receive their care in the Internal Medicine Clinic or Family Practice Clinic of a large university hospital. The patients were followed by residents in training under the supervision of board-certified internists or family physicians. After a mean length of care of slightly over two years, the charts were reviewed for frequency of visits to primary care providers (internal medicine or family practice), Emergency Room, Acute Care Clinic, and all clinics other than the two primary care clinics. The records were also reviewed for laboratory tests ordered. Frequency of visits to the clinic of primary care, Emergency Room, Acute Care Clinic, and broken appointments were all significantly higher for patients randomized to the Internal Medicine Clinic. In addition, the median total annual cost of laboratory tests for patients followed by internal medicine physicians was significantly higher, largely because of higher laboratory charges generated by the specialist consultants. Over the study period, internal medicine patients had a significantly higher number of visits to all nonprimary care clinics and specifically to the dermatology, obstetrics and gynecology, and general surgery consultant clinics. It can be concluded that in this clinical environment, the practice styles of internal medicine and family practice are different.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Swallowing and speech production in Parkinson's disease.

Videofluoroscopy was used to examine movement patterns during swallowing and speech production in 6 parkinsonian subjects and 6 age-matched controls. Motility patterns for liquid and semisolid swallows were documented. We performed temporospatial analyses of oropharyngeal structures, particularly the velum, which is prominently involved in both motor speech production and swallowing. Differences were found between groups and conditions. All of the parkinsonian subjects exhibited abnormal oropharyngeal movement patterns and timing during the volitional oral as well as the pharyngeal stage of swallowing; only 50% of these subjects admitted to any swallowing difficulty upon questioning. Two of the subjects with Parkinson's disease aspirated liquids. Duration of velar movement during speech production significantly differentiated the groups (p less than 0.01), reflecting reduced range of velar motion. Our findings suggest that rigidity and bradykinesia underlie the volitional speech abnormality as well as the disordered oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing. Findings indicate that parkinsonian patients may be "silent aspirators" with decreased cough reflexes and lack of awareness of aspiration. The clinical value of videofluoroscopic monitoring of swallowing is that aspiration may be detected and managed early.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Analysing stages of care in hospital stay for fractured neck of femur.

All 216 patients with femoral-neck fractures presenting to the trauma and orthopaedic service of a large health district over a 20-week period were studied to identify the stage of care for each day of the hospital stay. Of the 5167 patient-days of acute hospital care 492 were spent awaiting surgery (10%), 141 being made fit for surgery (3%), 2690 recovering from surgery without complications (51%), 59 being treated for surgical complications (1%), 56 being treated for medical complications (1%), and 1437 awaiting discharge after medical and surgical care was complete (28%); 292 (6%) days were spent by patients receiving conservative treatment. The method described provides a basis for examining the problem of extended acute hospital stay and variations in length of stay between different centres for elderly patients with this and other disorders.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Aortoenteric fistula: diagnosis and management.

During the last ten years, 14 patients with proven aortoenteric fistulas were admitted to the Greenville Hospital System, a community system of 1200 beds in four units serving a county of 250,000 residents. The experience obtained is tabulated, and illustrative case reports are used to emphasize the diagnostic and treatment problems inherent in this group of patients. It is obvious that two major manifestations result when intra-abdomial vascular prostheses communicate with some portion of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common manifestation of aortenenteric fistual is massive GI hemorrhage, usually preceded by an earlier, less consequential bleeding episode called a "herald bleed." If the small bowel, other than the duodenum or colon, is involved, then chronic bleeding and sepsis are most characteristic. The problems of diagnosis and management are discussed.

Aged↗