All-cause and cause-specific mortality rates of patients treated for alcohol use disorders: A meta-analysis.

Background: Although alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are known to increase the relative risk of all-cause and some cause-specific mortality, the absolute mortality rates of the AUD population are unknown. Such knowledge would benefit planners of the provision of services for this population, including in prioritizing the identification and/or treatment of diseases likely to cause their death.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies in English, reporting the cause-specific mortality rates among people treated for AUDs.

Patient initiated clinics for patients with chronic or recurrent conditions managed in secondary care: a systematic review of patient reported outcomes and patient and clinician satisfaction.

Background: The cost to the NHS of missed or inappropriate hospital appointments is considerable. Alternative methods of appointment scheduling might be more flexible to patients' needs without jeopardising health and service quality. The objective was to systematically review evidence of patient initiated clinics in secondary care on patient reported outcomes among patients with chronic/recurrent conditions.

The clinical effectiveness of patient initiated clinics for patients with chronic or recurrent conditions managed in secondary care: a systematic review.

Background: Missed or inappropriate hospital appointments cost the UK National Health Service millions of pounds each year and delay treatment for other patients. Innovative methods of appointment scheduling that are more flexible to patient needs, may improve service quality and preserve resources.

Methods: A systematic review of the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of patient initiated clinics in managing long term care for people with chronic or recurrent conditions in secondary care.

Telephone consultations in place of face to face out-patient consultations for patients discharged from hospital following surgery: a systematic review.

Background: Routine follow-up following uncomplicated surgery is being delivered by telephone in some settings. Telephone consultations may be preferable to patients and improve outpatient resource use. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of telephone consultations with face to face follow-up consultations, in patients discharged from hospital following surgery.

Interventions to reduce acute paediatric hospital admissions: a systematic review.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing the rate of acute paediatric hospital admissions.

Design: Systematic review.

Data Sources: Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, The Cochrane Library, Science Citation Index Expanded from inception to September 2010; hand searches of the reference lists of included papers and other review papers identified in the search.