Unexpected deaths in cardiology outpatients - what can we learn from case review?

Objectives: A proportion of cardiac patients managed at a cardiology outpatient clinic will die between clinic visits. This study aimed to identify the cause of death, to determine if case review occurred and if a formal review of such cases might be useful.

Design: Single-centre retrospective cohort study.

General practitioner views of an electronic high-risk medicine proforma to facilitate information transfer.

Background: The potential of warfarin related harm is increased if clinicians lack the full patient specific information to make informed decisions-an e-proforma has been developed to communicate this information on hospital discharge.

Objective: To determine the views of general practitioners (GPs) on a warfarin discharge e-proforma.

Method: A cross-sectional survey of all GPs (n = 272) within the Raigmore Hospital catchment area of NHS Highland, Scotland.