Biomedical subjects

S Abramowitz

Publications and source records attributed to S Abramowitz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1989

Emergency room visit time: changes over a 16-year period.

A one-week time and motion study was conducted at a large urban hospital replicating a study performed in 1969 in the same hospital, allowing a longitudinal study of emergency room utilization to be reported. Despite a 36% increase in the number of emergency room patients over the 16-year period, the findings from both studies replicate many of the patterns previously reported. Over time, both length of stay and wait times to see physicians have increased, although the values are still well within the ranges found in the literature. As competition increases, hospitals and their emergency room managers will have to determine what constitutes acceptable visit and waiting times in order to compete effectively for emergency room "clientele." Studies such as this one serve as a foundation for hospitals to implement policy changes that will improve health care delivery, and, in fact, this institution has already implemented changes based on this study.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Survey method for post-marketing drug surveillance: a demonstration.

Distinguishing characteristics of a community survey method for post-marketing drug monitoring are described, as are results of a pilot study of the method. Representative samples of outpatients treated with tricyclic antidepressants or benzodiazepine anxiolytics were identified in a clinic or pharmacy and interviewed at baseline and specified intervals thereafter in the home or by telephone. Data were collected by lay interviewers trained to use a detailed interview schedule designed with input from experts in pharmacology, relevant clinical disciplines, and survey research. The critical validity question was the degree to which predicted outcomes for the two well-studied drug classes matched observed outcomes. The analytic design involved two contrast groups, three measurement periods, and six key symptom measures. The latter were specific to the disorder (anxiety and depression), to the medications, or to neither the disorders nor the medication (neutral symptoms). Predictions took account of degree and direction of change, as well as differences in profile levels over time. Results conformed precisely to expectations. As one component of a comprehensive system, the method provides an opportunity to examine efficacy as well as safety under conditions that are typically absent or excluded in clinical trials. Data on patterns of prescribing by physicians and use by patients are valuable by-products that are immediately relevant for professional education and product liability. Advantages and limitations of the method are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Analyzing patient satisfaction: a multianalytic approach.

A telephone survey of 9% of first quarter discharges at The New York Hospital was undertaken to identify the dimensions of a patient satisfaction questionnaire and the determinants of patient satisfaction. The questionnaire included measures of overall satisfaction with hospital services, satisfaction with ten aspects of service, and patient expectations. Relatively high inter-item correlations indicate that the questionnaire can be shortened and the same overall dimensions measured. A longer questionnaire would still be necessary to ascertain the relative values of measures within any one dimension. The best determinants of overall satisfaction with hospital care appear to be patient expectations and satisfaction with nursing care. Patient satisfaction with nursing care, however, seems to hinge on satisfaction with services not under a nurse's control.

Consumer Behavior↗

PubMed1978