What made you wait so long? Delays in presentation of retinal detachment: knowledge is related to an attached macula.

Purpose: In rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, the time between first symptoms and reattachment surgery is critical to prevent macular detachment. We explored which determinants discriminate between 'macula-ON' and 'macula-OFF' retinal detachments to improve timely treatment.

Methods: Eight-hundred patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment admitted for surgery at the Rotterdam Eye Hospital in the Netherlands were eligible to complete a questionnaire to explore the following determinants: (i) patient's delay and doctor's delay; (ii) patient-reported causes for delay; (iii) symptoms as early warning signals; (iv) patient's prior knowledge about retinal detachment; and (v) trait anxiety.

Health Economic Evaluation of a Strict Glucose Control Guideline Implemented Using Point-of-Care Testing in Three Intensive Care Units in The Netherlands.

Background: Point-of-care testing of blood glucose (BG-POCT) is essential for safe and effective insulin titrations in critically ill patients under glucose control with insulin. The costs associated with this practice are considered substantial, especially when more frequent blood glucose (BG) testing is needed, as with more strict glucose control (SGC) aiming for lower BG levels.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate, from a hospital perspective, the incremental cost effectiveness of an SGC guideline, aiming for BG levels of 4.

Long-term cost-effectiveness of Oncotype DX® versus current clinical practice from a Dutch cost perspective.

Introduction: This study analyzes the incremental cost-effectiveness of Oncotype DX(®) testing to support adjuvant chemotherapy recommendations, versus current clinical practice, for patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)), node-negative or micrometastatic (pN1mic) early-stage breast cancer in The Netherlands.

Methods: Markov model projecting distant recurrence, survival, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and healthcare costs over a 30-year time horizon.

Results: Oncotype DX was projected to increase QALYs by 0.

Towards patient self-triage in the ophthalmic emergency department: sensitivity and specificity of a self-triage instrument.

Purpose: Trained ophthalmic triage staff may not constantly be available in the emergency department of a specialized ophthalmic hospital, particularly at night. To support the current triage process, the aim of this study was to develop an ophthalmic instrument of patient self-triage (ISET).

Methods: A preliminary ISET, in the form of a pen-and-paper questionnaire, was refined and validated in a two-step procedure.