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PubMedDate not supplied

Managing cancer: the role of holiday taking.

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this paper is to consider whether holiday taking may have a role to play post-diagnosis/treatment, within the rehabilitation process for cancer patients. METHOD: A qualitative study was undertaken. Informants consisted of cancer patients (n=24), their family members (n=13) and friends (n=2), consultants (n=2) pediatric oncology nurses (n=2), social workers (n=2), a voluntary services coordinator (n=1), and a play specialist (n=1). All were accessed through four facilitators at Christie Hospital, National Health Service Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom. Data were collected via interviews, telephone discussions, letters, personal accounts, and health diaries between January 2000 and March 2001. Questions were asked regarding the perceived effects of travel during serious illness, travel propensity, and factors inhibiting full participation. RESULTS: Benefits to health and well being, particularly of a sociopsychological nature, were identified. Such benefits impacted upon personal health, social effectiveness, personal identity, self-image, independence, future career prospects, and personal behavior. Factors inhibiting travel included the side effects of treatment, other peoples' reactions to the visible signs of cancer (e.g., hair loss, surgical scars), inflated insurance costs, a lack of holiday information sources, and communication issues (e.g., language barriers). CONCLUSIONS: Holiday taking offers a vehicle for transcending illness, even if only for a short period of time. Travel offered a range of therapeutic opportunities as well as providing a necessary means of escapism. Promoting travel as part of the rehabilitation process may well generate more intrinsic benefits than are currently appreciated. Such benefits may also be of broader application to patients facing other similarly complex illnesses.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2000

[Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, with special reference to primary treatment for lung cancer].

From the viewpoint of patients, physicians, and health insurers, the ideal surgical treatment would be based on a precise diagnosis, followed by minimally invasive, high-technology-assisted, potentially curative surgery and the shortest possible period of hospitalization, while incurring the lowest possible medical fees. Such treatment would also be tailored to the medical, social, and employment needs of individual patients. Remarkable advances in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) techniques occurred in the late 20th century, making it minimally invasive compared with conventional thoracotomy. VATS results in less postoperative pain, shortens hospital stay, and improves the postoperative quality of life of patients. Among 570 institutions in Japan, the nationwide statistical record revealed that a total of 34,987 thoracic field surgeries were performed ??BETWEEN 19?? AND 19?? PLEASE GIVE YEARS??, of which 29.4% involved VATS. Of total thoracic surgical procedures recorded, VATS was performed in 76.7% of pneumothorax cases, 58.5% of benign tumor cases, and 38.8% of inflammatory disease cases. In cases of bullous disease excluding pneumothorax, VATS was performed in 44.5% of cases, in 38.0% of pleural tumor cases, and in 30.2% of mediastinal lung disease cases. The technique is also used in lung cancer. Of a total of 11,323 lung cancer lobectomies, VATS was performed in 539 (4.7%). Mediastinal dissection with VATS is becoming increasingly common. Satisfactory results have been achieved in terms of survival in patients with stage T1N0M0 lung cancer, which is recognized as an indication for VATS. This paper describes the current status of VATS in the field of general thoracic surgery as well in lung cancer.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

Surgical endoscopy training: benefit to army-wide medicine.

To assess the benefit of surgeons being trained in endoscopic procedures, the gastrointestinal endoscopic experience of all surgical residents graduating from a single medical center in the 1984-87 period was evaluated. For the 1989 1-year period, the surgeons' aggregate total of gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures was 1,040: 470 EGDs and 570 colonoscopies. During a 3-year (1987-89) period, the total was 2,290 procedures: 1,080 EGDs and 1,210 colonoscopies. While the cost savings for over 1,000 endoscopic procedures a year is obvious, it is the impact of the accessibility of these procedures on quality patient care that is of the greatest benefit. In this era of financial constraints and personnel cutbacks, the incorporation of gastrointestinal endoscopy into surgical training must be insured and surgeons must be encouraged to pursue their endoscopic skills throughout their surgical careers.

Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal↗
PubMed1999

[Surgical aid for population in conditions of compulsory medical insurance].

A brief review of economic experiments in Russian health-protection service is carried out. It is demonstrated that their ineffectiveness is stipulated by the absence of the analysis of the causes of low surgical activity. The experiment in intensification of surgical activity, which has been carried out in Moscow hospital N 40, shous the ways for correction of present situation. An additional financing source such as CMI may substantially improve the state of surgical clinics, provided that optimal conditions for surgeons' work were created.

Delivery of Health Care↗
PubMed2000

Factors associated with age at operation for children with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown that children with congenital heart disease (CHD) who live in nonurban areas or who do not have private insurance are at risk for delayed referral to a pediatric cardiologist. However, the effect of these factors on the age at which cardiac surgery is performed has not been evaluated. This study is designed to evaluate the factors that influence the age at which definitive surgical repair is performed. METHODS: Data on hospital discharges for 1995 and 1996 in California were obtained from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database. Children <18 years who underwent surgical repair for atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), or atrioventricular canal (AVC) were included in the study. Age at surgery was evaluated using type of CHD, gender, race, type of insurance, surgical centers, urban or rural home location, and distance between home and surgical center as independent variables. RESULTS: In 1995-1996, 666 children underwent ASD closure (mean age: 5.1 years; median: 4.0 years), 582 VSD closure (mean age: 2.8; median: 1.1 years), 394 TOF repair (mean age: 1.7; median:.9 years), and 177 AVC repair (mean age: 1.1; median:.6 years). Comparing median and mean age at surgery, we found: AVC<TOF<VSD<ASD (< indicates younger than). A consistent trend for all 4 types of CHD was seen indicating that for median age at operation: private insurance<managed care<Medicaid. Gender or race had no effect on age at operation, although Asians tended to be older at surgery for all 4 types of CHD. There is a significant negative correlation between the case volume of surgical centers and median age at operation for ASD (r = -.37), VSD (r = -.49), TOF (r = -.63), and AVC (r = -.17). In addition, significant positive correlation was found between degree of urbanization of home locations (measured by population density) and median age at operation for ASD (r =.50), VSD (r =.77), and TOF (r =.18). No significant correlation was found between distance to surgical center and age at operation. CONCLUSIONS: Many medical and nonmedical variables play important roles in determining age for definitive repair of CHD in children. Type of insurance, a recognized surrogate for access to care, may play an important role. In addition, centers with higher surgical case volume were more likely to operate at a younger age. Finally, children in urban areas tend to be older at the time of surgery for ASD, VSD, and TOF.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2005

Dollars and sense. Is there a better way to determine private surgical fees in New Zealand?

In New Zealand, private insurers reimburse surgeons on a fee-for-service basis. Ideally, the level of reimbursements should reflect competitive market prices. Due to concerns such a market does not exist, other countries have adopted Relative Value Scales (RVS) to estimate a fair reimbursement level for different procedures. No such scale exists in New Zealand for surgeons, but it does for anaesthetists. This study compares reimbursements to surgeons and anaesthetists from private insurers using data from 3186 procedures performed between 1996 and 2002. We calculate an implicit hourly rate of reimbursement and compare the level of reimbursement between procedures and the variance of reimbursements within procedures for surgeons and anaesthetists. The results suggest that there are significantly greater deviations in average reimbursements between procedures for surgeons than for anaesthetists. Furthermore, the variability of reimbursements is greater for reimbursements to surgeons within specific procedures. While the results do not necessarily imply that surgical reimbursements are inconsistent with underlying market rates, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that anaesthetist's fees show greater stability because of the existence of a RVS. We conclude by discussing what would be required to implement a RVS for surgical fees in New Zealand.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1998

[Incidence of operations in Switzerland related to insurance status].

Several studies reported in the literature show that surgical procedures can be carried out for other than clinical indications. In Switzerland, no statistics on the "demography" of surgical procedures are available. But an earlier analysis of the "Swiss Health Survey 1992/93" gave first indications on differences in rates of surgical procedures (hysterectomy, appendectomy, tonsillectomy and operation of the hip and gallbladder) by sex, educational status and region. This study, based on the same datasource (N = 10792), reveals an additional link with the health insurance status. The prevalence of surgical procedures is higher in privately insured than in persons with only basic insurance, independent of age, sex and region. The highest rates of surgical procedures (except tonsillectomy) are found among privately insured persons with a low educational status. Among 25-74 year old privately insured women, the lifetime-prevalence of a hysterectomy is 30% with low and 13% with high educational status (p < .001). The corresponding prevalences of at least one of the mentioned surgical procedures (without tonsillectomy) are 49% versus 28% (p < .001). As these are lifetime-prevalences, these rates do not necessarily reflect the actual surgical procedures. However, an analysis of the period of operation for hysterectomy and for the gallbladder shows the same pattern as the mentioned lifetime-prevalences. Higher rates among privately insured are also a frequent finding in the international literature. These findings should stimulate patients to ask for a "second opinion". Furthermore, there is an urge for the implementation of general hospital statistics to verify such findings. In addition, the scientific consensus on the indication of several surgical procedures should be promoted on the way to more evidence-based-medicine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Endometrial cancer in Kentucky: the impact of age, smoking status, and rural residence.

INTRODUCTION: The study objectives were to assess the effect of age, to evaluate the impact of smoking, and to determine the effect of rural residence on tumor characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes for Kentucky's endometrial cancer patients. METHODS: The Kentucky Cancer Registry identified Kentucky residents diagnosed with endometrial cancer from 1995 to 2002. Data abstracted included demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and recurrence/survival status. RESULTS: Three thousand five hundred and sixty-two women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Mean age at diagnosis decreased significantly (P=0.0388) over the 7-year period. Smokers had higher grade, stage, and worse outcomes. Rural women more often lacked commercial insurance, underwent less comprehensive surgical evaluation, and had less multimodality treatment. Increasing age (P<0.0001), positive or unknown smoking status (P=0.0003), black race (P<0.0001), no commercial insurance (P<0.0001), increasing grade or advanced stage (P<0.0001), small size of treating hospital (P<0.0001), and unknown nodal status (P<0.0001) were negatively associated with disease-specific survival. Lymph node sampling was performed in only 38.6% of women. On multivariate analysis, age (RR 1.38 for 10 year increments; P<0.0001), smoking (RR 1.38; P=0.008), no commercial insurance or Medicaid (RR 1.87; P=0.0007), rural residence (RR 0.77; P=0.011), advanced stage and grade (RR 7.96, 3.96; P<0.0001), and no nodal evaluation or unknown nodal status (RR 2.32, 2.51; P<0.0001) significantly effected disease-specific survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a trend toward a younger age for endometrial cancer diagnosis, confirm the adverse impact of smoking and socioeconomic factors, and demonstrate an association between incomplete surgical staging and decreased survival.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Inequality of access to surgical specialty health care: why children with government-funded insurance have less access than those with private insurance in Southern California.

OBJECTIVE: More than 25 million children in the United States are dependent on federal and state medical insurance programs for their health care needs. In California, 3.25 million children depend on Medi-Cal for their health insurance. In Southern California alone, the figure is as high as 1.81 million. However, 9.30 million children nationally and 1.55 million in California have no health insurance. Various public policies that would increase enrollment in these programs are being discussed to address this problem. However, before their implementation, it is important to understand what impact such policies would have on the actual delivery of health care to this patient population. In California, 2 predominant health care delivery models exist for Medi-Cal: a fee-for-service (so-called regular or straight Medi-Cal) and a managed care plan. One third of the children in Medi-Cal in the state are enrolled in the fee-for-service plan with the remainder in the managed care plan, whereas in Southern California, this figure is slightly lower at 28% in the fee-for-service plan. The objective of this study was to determine the number of otolaryngologists in Southern California who would offer a new patient appointment for an evaluation for tonsillectomy for a child with commercial insurance versus government-funded (Medi-Cal) insurance through direct contact with the physician and to determine whether the surgeon would offer to perform the procedure or refer the patient to another institution and to identify the specific reason(s) for any disparity in access to health care. METHODS: A written questionnaire was sent via regular mail to 303 otolaryngologists in the Southern California area in 2003. RESULTS: A total of 100 fully completed questionnaires were received. Ninety-seven surgeons would offer an office appointment to a child with commercial insurance as compared with only 27 for a child with Medi-Cal. Of those 27 surgeons, 8 would then refer the child to another physician to perform the surgery, and only 19 would actually offer to perform surgery, if indicated. Reasons provided for not offering an office appointment or surgery for the child with Medi-Cal include excessive paperwork and/or administrative burdens (96%), low monetary reimbursement for the surgery (92%), and low monetary reimbursement for the office visit (87%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a tremendous inequality of access to surgical specialty health care for children with government-funded insurance when compared with those with commercial insurance in Southern California. Physicians indicate that this disparity is related to excessive administrative burdens and low monetary reimbursement. The implications of our findings on public health care policies are discussed.

California↗
PubMed1976

Private health insurance in 1974: a review of coverage, enrollment, and financial experience.

In 1974, more than three-fourths of the civilian population had substantial economic protection through private health insurance against the costs of hospital and surgical care. Smaller proportions were covered at least in part for other health care costs, usually after payment of deductibles and coinsurance. Consumers got back 87 percent of their premium dollars in the form of benefits. The rise in premium income in 1974 lagged 4 percentage points behind the growth in claims incurred. The result was a net underwriting loss of $359.7 million or 1.3 percent of premium income. Most consumers bought their health insurance protection through insurance companies, although Blue Cross-Blue Shield plans served about two-fifths of the insured population for hospital-associated care. In addition, about 6 percent received health care through independent prepayment and self-insured plans.

Accounting↗