Biomedical subjects

S C Farrow

Publications and source records attributed to S C Farrow.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

The challenge of evaluating surgical procedures.

All new interventions and procedures must be properly assessed in comparison to the currently accepted method(s). It is unethical not to do so. The optimum method is by Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). This is ideally suited to the testing of drugs because the trial can usually be double blind and placebo controlled. RCTs are less commonly used for the evaluation of new surgical techniques. There are valid and invalid reasons for this and these are discussed.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMed1976

Geriatric admissions in East London 1962-72.

Geriatric admissions over the period 1962-72 in East London were studied. Patients, for the most part, presented combinations of physical, mental and social disability. 6286 admissions of 3988 patients were analysed with regard to length of stay, outcome, number of repeat admissions, age and sex. Numbers were large enough for trends to be clear. For example, 550 admissions were of persons over 90. The largest group were aged 75-84. The likelihood of death in hospital increased with age while the percentage of discharges home fell. With age there was a gradual increase in the percentage of those in hospital 28 days or less. Eight per cent of males and 10 per cent of females remained in hospital over one year. Seventy per cent of patients were admitted to hospital once only, while fewer than 2 per cent were admitted more than five times. A sample of new patients admitted from one borough in 1968, was traced in hospital and after discharge. The 50 per cent survival time for men was 6.5 months and for women 12.9 months.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1976

Pre-registration house appointments: a computer aided allocation scheme.

The number of pre-registration house posts allocated by the London Hospital rapidly increased in 1973. This made solution by hand of the allocation problem time consuming and complex. The Operational Research Unit was approahced and a computer aided scheme was designed which was subsequently adopted. Various alternative allocation methods are discussed and examples given. The results of the first five allocations are presented. The percentage of applicants obtaining one of their first three choices varied from 61 to 70%. Of consultants who expressed a choice, the percentage obtaining one of their first three choices was in the range of 72-94%. The allocation scheme has two principal advantages over methods used elsewhere. It is extremely flexible, allowing various weights to be given to either applicant or consultant. It also produces a complete solution which is optimal in terms of the numerical criteria specified. Details of the assignment algorithm are given in the Appendix.

Computers↗