The training procedures used in teaching senior year pharmacy students the skills necessary to perform a medication history are described. The training involves videotaping medication histories with actual patients and evaluating the videotapes in small groups. (LBH)

To be in attendance to the dying and help them with the process of reorganizing the materials for coping in this kind of intense life-destructive crisis is a rare privilege. Presented at the Conference on Death and Dying: Education, Counseling, and Care, December 1-3, 1976, Orlando, Florida. (Author)

Describes the use of a short, fictional story about a woman's surgery to illustrate issues and promote discussion about biomedical ethics, particularly the issue of informed consent. Discussion connects the personal story with specific litigation, comparing legal requirements and ethical responsibility in physician-patient communication. (MSE)

Data from primary care physicians attending a workshop on Alzheimer's disease included 21 pretests, 14 posttests, and 17 interviews. Results showed that 41% had used workshop materials to train other health care providers; all felt better able to conduct patient education. (SK)

A study assessed the reading ability of 50 clients at a rural Midwest women's health center and the readability of 10 of the clinic's health information materials. One in six women could not read all of the patient information, which could limit their understanding and achievement of good health care. Discusses implications for practice. (Contains…

The development of the medical examination as a tool in diagnosing child sexual abuse is discussed. The role of the medical professional in promoting conservative and appropriate diagnosis and treatment and in providing a scientific base for the recognition of child sexual abuse is reviewed. (CR)

An item-response-theory approach was used to evaluate test and item functioning for the Hare Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (R. D. Hare, 1991) using data from 2,067 North American patients and prisoners. Analyses support the use of the test for diagnosis of psychopathic personality disorder and measures of trait strength. (SLD)

Evaluates the Post-Hospital Support Program for frail elderly patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore (Maryland) who were returning home to the care of a non-paid caregiver for at least a year. Results showed reduction in caregiver stress and in number of days spent in hospital after initial release. (JS)

This study was designed to determine whether opportunities exist to reduce patient morbidity and health care costs by utilizing health care services before diseases progress to advanced stages. Hospital admissions were categorized based on the timing of the initial hospitalizations of patients admitted with any of 14 diagnoses. (Author/MLW)

Three reasons for teaching medical ethics during residency are presented. Key ethical concepts to be addressed include moral aspects of medical practice, obtaining informed consent, dealing with incompetent patients and those who refuse treatment, knowing when to withhold or disclose clinical information, and using medical resources properly. (MSE)

Analysis of results from the National Resident Matching Program from 1980, 1983, and 1987 show students seeking categorical surgery residencies were less likely to be matched with programs in high-density Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome areas. Implications for medical education are examined. (Author/MSE)

Conducted chart review of inpatient dementia patients cared for by neurology, psychiatry, medicine, and surgery services at university hospital. Found differences in symptom profiles, hospital utilization trends, medical comorbidity, and post-hospitalization dispositions. Examined how patients entered hospital system, were assigned to different…

Examines the characteristics and problems of Canadian Indian psychiatric patients in an urban community care setting. Compares 25 Canada Native patients and 100 matched Anglo patients in terms of socioeconomic factors, transiency, selected clinical characteristics, social networks, and prior and current psychiatric service utilization. Contains 24…

Examines data from four years of operation of a program to manage after-hours pediatrics calls using specially trained pediatric nurses with standardized protocols to provide triage and advice. Found that over 100,000 calls had been successfully managed without adverse clinical outcomes. Satisfaction among subscribing pediatricians was 100%, and…

Seventy clients participated in eight focus groups intended to identify clients' perceptions of vocational rehabilitation program strengths and weaknesses. The advantages of using a social science model applied to focus groups and the ways client empowerment can be a central theme in such efforts are explored. (SLD)