Electronic Registration in Complementary/Homeopathic Medical Practice with Identification of 'Best Homeopathic Cases': A Pilot Study.

Background:  Practice-based registration could identify 'general' and 'homeopathic' prognostic factors for therapeutic success in patients who seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)/homeopathic treatment. Identification of 'best homeopathic cases' within a database could inform clinical research and improve homeopathic practice.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of registration in daily CAM/homeopathic practice, evaluate patient-reported outcome measures and tools for identifying 'best homeopathic cases' and to make recommendations for an electronic database.

Evaluation of a Prognostic Homeopathic Questionnaire for Women with Premenstrual Disorders.

Background/aims: Validation of treatments with individually prescribed homeopathic medicines is a challenging task. A prognostic homeopathic patient questionnaire containing 140 keynote symptoms (highly characteristic of a specific homeopathic medicine) and an electronic algorithm to process the answers were used in 2 clinical studies. The algorithm outcome, based on total symptom scores, indicated 1 of 11 pre-selected homeopathic medicines for women with premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS/PMDD).

Family physicians' diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire.

Background: Family physicians perceive that gut feelings, i.e. a 'sense of reassurance' or a 'sense of alarm', play a substantial role in diagnostic reasoning.