Assessing breast cancer risk in women.

Understanding modifiable and nonmodifiable factors that increase or decrease breast cancer risk allows family physicians to counsel women appropriately. Nonmodifiable factors associated with increased breast cancer risk include advanced age, female sex, family history of breast cancer, increased breast density, genetic predisposition, menarche before age 12 years, and natural menopause after age 45 years. Hormonal factors associated with breast cancer include advanced age at first pregnancy, exposure to diethylstilbestrol, and hormone therapy.

Decreasing lab turnaround time improves emergency department throughput and decreases emergency medical services diversion: a simulation model.

Background: The effect of decreasing lab turnaround times on emergency department (ED) efficiency can be estimated through system-level simulation models and help identify important outcome measures to study prospectively. Furthermore, such models may suggest the advantage of bedside or point-of-care testing and how they might affect efficiency measures.

Objectives: The authors used a sophisticated simulation model in place at an adult urban ED with an annual census of 55,000 patient visits.