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Biomedical subjects

R A Lowe

Publications and source records attributed to R A Lowe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Effect of ethnicity on denial of authorization for emergency department care by managed care gatekeepers.

OBJECTIVE: After a pilot study suggested that African American patients enrolled in managed care organizations (MCOs) were more likely than whites to be denied authorization for emergency department (ED) care through gatekeeping, the authors sought to determine the association between ethnicity and denial of authorization in a second, larger study at another hospital. METHODS: A retrospective cohort design was used, with adjustment for triage score, age, gender, day and time of arrival at the ED, and type of MCO. RESULTS: African Americans were more likely to be denied authorization for ED visits by the gatekeepers representing their MCOs even after adjusting for confounders, with an odds ratio of 1.52 (95% CI = 1.18 to 1.94). CONCLUSIONS: African Americans were more likely than whites to be denied authorization for ED visits. The observational study design raises the possibility that incomplete control of confounding contributed to or accounted for the association between ethnicity and gatekeeping decisions. Nevertheless, the questions that these findings raise about equity of gatekeeping indicate a need for additional research in this area.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Preventive care in the emergency department, Part I: Clinical preventive services--are they relevant to emergency medicine? Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Public Health and Education Task Force Preventive Services Work Group.

In 1998 the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's (SAEM's) Board of Directors asked the SAEM Public Health and Education Task Force to develop recommendations for prevention, screening, and counseling activities to be conducted in emergency departments (EDs). The Task Force's work was divided into two phases: 1) a discussion of the rationale for preventive services in the ED, along with generation of a preliminary list of prevention activities that could be studied for ED implementation; and 2) a formal evidence-based review of topics chosen from the preliminary list, along with recommendations for ED implementation and further study. This paper represents Phase I of the project. Phase II, the formal evidence-based review and recommendations, is published separately in this issue.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed2000

Treatment of osteoporosis: are physicians missing an opportunity?

BACKGROUND: Medical treatment of women with established osteoporosis may decrease the incidence of future fractures. Postmenopausal women who have sustained a distal radial fracture have decreased bone-mineral density and nearly twice the risk of a future hip fracture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women following an acute fracture of the distal part of the radius. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed with use of a claims database that includes more than three million patients, from thirty states, enrolled in multiple health plans. All women, fifty-five years of age or older, who sustained a distal radial fracture between July 1, 1994, and June 30, 1997, were identified in the database. Only patients with at least six months of continuous and complete medical and pharmaceutical health-care coverage from the date of the fracture were enrolled, to ensure that all health-care claims would be captured in the database. This cohort of patients was then evaluated to determine the proportion who had undergone either a diagnostic bone-density scan or treatment with any recommended medication for established osteoporosis (estrogen, a bisphosphonate, or calcitonin) within six months following the fracture. RESULTS: A search of the database identified 1,162 women, fifty-five years of age or older, who had a distal radial fracture. Of these 1,162 patients, thirty-three (2.8 percent) underwent a bone-density scan and 266 (22.9 percent) were treated with at least one of the medications approved for treatment of established osteoporosis. Twenty women had both a bone-density scan and drug treatment. Therefore, only 279 (24.0 percent) of the 1,162 women who sustained a distal radial fracture underwent either diagnostic evaluation or treatment of osteoporosis. There was a significant decrease in the rate of treatment of osteoporosis with increasing patient age at the time of the fracture (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Current physician practice may be inadequate for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who have sustained a distal radial fracture.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt performance under hyperbaric conditions.

A novice scuba diver with an implanted ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt inquired about the performance characteristics of his shunt while diving. A literature search revealed no information regarding shunt performance under hyperbaric conditions. The manufacturer could not certify that the shunt would function under pressure. Therefore, four VP shunts were tested according to the manufacturer's testing protocol at 1 and 4 atm abs in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber. The pressure (in mm of H2O) required to establish flow through the shunts was recorded. Trials at 1 atm abs (n = 12) and 4 atm abs (n = 12) show that all shunts performed within the pressure range specified by the manufacturer.

Atmospheric Pressure↗
PubMed1999

Violent injuries among women in an urban area.

BACKGROUND: Although the rate of death from injuries due to violent acts is much higher among black women than among white women in the United States, little is known about the nature and correlates of violent injuries among black women living in urban areas. METHODS: In this case-control study conducted at three emergency departments in one inner-city community (in west Philadelphia), we studied 405 adolescent girls and women who had been intentionally injured and 520 adolescent girls and women (control subjects) who had health problems not related to violent injury. Data were collected by conducting standardized interviews with use of questionnaires and by screening urine for illicit drugs. Individual logistic-regression models were constructed to identify factors associated with violent injuries inflicted by partners and those inflicted by persons other than the partners of the victims. RESULTS: The male partners of the injured women were much more likely than the male partners of control subjects to use cocaine (odds ratio, 4.4; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.3 to 8.4) and to have been arrested in the past (odds ratio, 3.1; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.8 to 5.2). Fifty-three percent of violent injuries to the women had been perpetrated by persons other than their partners. Women's use of illicit drugs and alcohol abuse were factors associated with both violence on the part of partners and violence on the part of other persons. Neighborhood characteristics, including low median income, a high rate of change of residence, and poor education, were independently associated with the risk of violent injuries among women. CONCLUSIONS: Women in this urban, low-income community face violence from both partners and other persons. Substance abuse, particularly cocaine use, is a significant correlate of violent injuries. Standard Census data may help identify neighborhoods where women are at high risk for such violence and that would benefit from community-level interventions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Judging who needs emergency department care: a prerequisite for policy-making.

The debate regarding risks and benefits of triaging nonurgent patients away from emergency departments (EDs) stems from widely varying estimates as to what proportion of ED visits are inappropriate. A study was undertaken based on the hypothesis that these discrepant estimates might be due to differences in how "appropriateness" is defined. This cross-sectional study included 596 ED patients. Seven different indicators of "Inappropriate" ED visits were used. Two could be determined by the patient; two were based on the triage nurse's assessment; three were determined retrospectively, by chart review. All 21 possible pairs of indicators were compared for agreement using the kappa statistic. The proportion of ED visits classified as inappropriate by the different indicators ranged from 10% to 90%. Kappa values for agreement between indicators ranged from -0.04 to 0.31, indicating poor agreement beyond that expected due to chance alone. Decisions as to which ED visits are appropriate depend heavily on the criteria used. Limiting patients' access to EDs without the aid of a valid and reliable standard for what constitutes an appropriate ED visit could create harmful barriers to care.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1997

Adverse outcomes of managed care gatekeeping.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether telephone preauthorization for reimbursement of ED care (medical "gate-keeping") by managed care organizations (MCOs) is associated with adverse outcomes. METHODS: A structured review was performed of case reports solicited during 1994 and 1995 with possible adverse outcomes related to managed care gatekeeping. Gatekeeping was defined as the requirement imposed by an MCO that ED staff contact on-call gatekeepers (i.e., clinical or nonclinical MCO personnel) to request preauthorization for ED treatment (a requirement that such MCOs enforce by refusing payment for the ED care unless preauthorization is obtained). Cases in which gatekeeper denial of preauthorization occurred were sought. Two physicians agreed on patient eligibility and classification criteria, then independently, retrospectively classified case reports identified as MCO ED payment denials into 1 of 4 categories: 1) adverse outcome; 2) patient placed at increased risk of death or disability; 3) "near miss" (emergency physicians prevented adverse outcome by caring for patient despite denial); and 4) none of the above. RESULTS: Of the 143 cases reviewed, 29 reports represented MCO ED payment denial. Of these 29 eligible cases, there were 4 (14%) patients with adverse outcomes, 4 (14%) patients placed at increased risk, and 21 (72%) near misses. All of the 29 cases came from different EDs, representing 9 different states, with the majority from California. Adverse outcomes included respiratory failure from fulminant meningococcemia, hypovolemic syncope from ruptured ectopic pregnancy, hypovolemic arrest from vascular fibroid hemorrhage necessitating emergency hysterectomy, and prolonged postoperative course following ruptured duodenal ulcer. Patients placed at increased risk were diagnosed as having epiglottitis, myocardial infarction, ruptured ectopic pregnancy, and delayed treatment of hip septic arthritis. Near misses included diagnoses of ectopic pregnancy (n = 2), pneumothorax (n = 2), alcohol withdrawal seizures and pancreatitis necessitating intensive care unit admission, appendicitis, bacterial meningitis, cerebrovascular accident, cryptococal meningitis in immuno comprised host, endocarditis, incarerated inguinal hernia, meningocococemia, meninoccocal meningitis, peritonsillar abscess, pneumococcal meningitis, ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, shock from gastrointestinal bleeding, small bowel obstruction, schizophrenic crisis resulting in psychiatric hospitalization, suicidal depression resulting in psychiatric hospitalization, and unstable angina. CONCLUSION: Adverse outcomes occur with MCO gatekeeping, Although the present study cannot ascertain whether this is a frequent event or a rare one, the safety of MCO gatekeeping deserves further study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Successful management of the gingival tissues for aesthetic restorative procedures.

A sage advisor once said, "Why is it that we (dentists) never seem to have the time to do all steps the first time around, but then find the time when something goes amiss?" Many of us are caught up in a prison called time that directly dictates our every move. We must be released from this mindset and rediscover the importance of patience and devotion to technique. That same wise man added, "The definition of a short cut is the longest distance between two points." The moral is time spent to gain tissue health will be returned a thousand fold. Cases will be completed with greater patient comfort and doctor satisfaction.

Crown Lengthening↗
PubMed1996

Stenting in malignant obstruction of superior vena cava.

The treatment of patients with malignant superior vena caval obstruction with minimal morbidity has been made possible by the recent introduction of expandable metal stents as the sole palliative treatment or as an adjunct to other treatment modalities. To alleviate the distressing symptoms of superior vena caval obstruction, self-expanding metal stents were used successfully in 12 (Wallstent device in 6 and Gianturco device in 6 patients) of 13 patients. The diagnoses were small cell carcinoma (n = 4), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 4), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 1), and mesothelioma (n = 1), and a diagnosis of malignancy was not confirmed (although strongly suspected) in the remaining three cases. Eleven patients had immediate relief of obstruction and there was no change in one patient. Mean follow-up was 3.7 months (range 1 to 10 months). Excellent palliation was obtained in all but one patient in whom recurrent superior vena caval obstruction developed 3 months after stenting. Mean survival was 4.8 months (range 1 to 10 months). The ease of insertion with the use of local anesthesia with radiologic control, the self-expanding nature of the stent, and the lack of major complications on follow-up of up to 10 months are particular advantages. The self-expanding superior vena caval stents are a useful addition to our armamentarium in the management of malignant superior vena caval obstruction.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

The cost-effectiveness of voluntary counseling and testing of hospital inpatients for HIV infection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of voluntary counseling and testing of US hospital inpatients for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). DATA SOURCES: Data for entry into the model were derived from a review of the literature, consultation with experts, and consensus of the authors. DATA EXTRACTION: We rated our confidence in these probabilities and costs by grading the data inputs using methods adapted from those of the US Preventive Services Task Force. DATA SYNTHESIS: Decision analysis models were developed to evaluate two outcomes: (1) cost per health care worker (HCW) HIV infection averted if measures are taken by the HCW to reduce his or her risk of acquiring HIV; and (2) cost per inpatient HIV infection detected. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted. Using baseline input values, testing to avert HCW infection may prevent 3.6 HIV infections per year at a total program cost of $2.7 billion, or a cost of $753 million per infection averted. At baseline assumptions (seroprevalence = 1%), testing to detect inpatient HIV infection would cost $16,104 per year per infection detected. Cost-effectiveness at baseline drops to $8353 per HIV infection detected if the seroprevalence is 10%. If testing is limited to hospitals with inpatient seroprevalences of at least 1%, approximately 5400 persons per year will be falsely labeled HIV-positive. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis provides no justification for testing inpatients to prevent HIV infection of HCWs. Screening inpatients to detect HIV infection may be justified at seroprevalences exceeding 1%, but issues of medical or social discrimination, false-positive results, informed consent, and logistics must be resolved first.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1994

The cost-effectiveness of HIV testing of physicians and dentists in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative policies for human immunodeficiency testing (HIV) testing of physicians and dentists. METHODS: Decision analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis from a societal perspective were used. Data were derived from extensive literature review and consultation with experts. We conducted sensitivity analyses and also performed a cost-benefit analysis. ANALYSES: We analyzed policies for mandatory or voluntary testing of all physicians, surgeons, and dentists; for those testing positive, we analyzed mandatory or voluntary exclusion from practice, restriction from performance of invasive procedures, or requirements to inform patients of serostatus. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Cost per patient infection averted. RESULTS: Although one-time mandatory testing of surgeons and dentists with mandatory restriction of those found to be HIV-positive is more cost-effective than other policies, the cost-effectiveness varies tremendously under different scenarios. Results were highly sensitive to several data inputs, especially HIV seroprevalence of surgeons and dentists and transmission risk. For example, under a medium seroprevalence and transmission risk scenario, mandatory testing of all surgeons might avert 25 infections at a total cost of $27.9 million or $1,115,000 per infection averted and an incremental cost of $291,000 compared with current testing; however, the incremental cost-effectiveness per patient infection averted ranges from $29,807,000 under a low-risk scenario to a savings of $81,000 under a high-risk scenario. CONCLUSION: Our analysis neither justifies nor precludes a mandatory testing policy. Further research on the key data inputs is needed. Given the ethical, social, and public health implications, mandatory testing policies should not be implemented without greater certainty as to their cost-effectiveness.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1994

Refusing care to emergency department of patients: evaluation of published triage guidelines.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a set of published triage guidelines identifies patients who can safely be refused emergency department care. DESIGN: Historical cohort study. SETTING: A public hospital ED. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: All patients triaged during a one-week period who were not in the most acute triage category. MEASUREMENTS: Two ED nurses, blinded to the study hypothesis, reviewed each triage sheet to determine whether the case met the published guidelines for refusing care. In addition, each ED record was reviewed for appropriateness; a visit was considered appropriate only if predetermined, explicit criteria were met and an emergency physician agreed that a 24-hour delay in care might have worsened the patient's outcome. MAIN RESULTS: Of the 106 patients who would have been refused care according to the triage guidelines, 35 (33%) had appropriate visits. Four were hospitalized. CONCLUSION: When tested in our patient population, the triage guidelines were not sufficiently sensitive to identify patients who needed ED care. Broad application of these guidelines may jeopardize the health of some patients.

Adult↗