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Biomedical subjects

O A Thorup

Publications and source records attributed to O A Thorup.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

The referring physician and the teaching center.

An adequate patient base is critical to the survival of tertiary care institutions. Since referring physicians send a significant portion of their patients to the teaching center, effective communication with them is vital. A survey of the physicians who refer patients to The University of Virginia Medical Center revealed certain hospital services that needed improvement. Their responses also led researchers to recognize graduate and continuing medical education programs as valuable marketing vehicles that can support the academic medical center. As a result of the survey project, The University of Virginia Medical Center was able to strengthen the contacts with practicing physicians and increase the visibility of the Center's medical expertise and special technology. Drawing on the marketing concept of the derived demand, the referring physician's connection to the tertiary care hospital becomes clear. As he searches for the best health care for his patient, he also helps to maintain an adequate patient base for the tertiary hospital. Responding to the referring physician's opinions and needs is a viable approach to increasing referrals to the tertiary care center.

Communication↗
PubMed1984

Acute leukemia in adults: cost effectiveness of treatment.

Costs of treating 174 adult patients with acute leukemia were compiled and analyzed over the five-year period 1974 to 1979. The average overall cost per patient was $18,760, and increased over the period of study. Increased total hospital costs were incurred by patients who achieved a favorable response to induction chemotherapy and by those with a diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). To assess the impact of successful treatment on hospital expenditures, total months of survival were compared with total hospital costs to determine cost per month of life. Using this analysis, improved survival, favorable response to chemotherapy, and a diagnosis of ALL were associated with significant decreases in cost per month of life. The long-term survivors (alive greater than or equal to 2 years from diagnosis) best demonstrated this effect, with a mean hospital cost per month of survival from diagnosis of $563, which was significantly less than $6,937 for those who achieved a partial remission, $10,703 for those with treatment failure, and $8,240 for those who were untreated. These costs linked to outcome are comparable to those reported in other disorders that require prolonged and intensive hospital care. With the progressive improvement in response rate and in percentage of long-term survivors that is being observed in adults with acute leukemia, these costs should continue to decrease.

Adolescent↗