Impact of Type of Medical Specialist Involvement in Chronic Illness Care on Emergency Department Use.

Objectives: Medical specialist physicians may act as either consultants or co-managers for patients managed in primary care settings. We assessed whether the type of specialist involvement affected emergency department (ED) use for patients with chronic diseases.

Methods: In total, 709 primary care patients with arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or congestive heart failure were followed for one year using survey and administrative data.

The primary-specialty care interface in chronic diseases: patient and practice characteristics associated with co-management.

Objective: Specialist physicians may act either as consultants or co-managers for patients with chronic diseases along with their primary healthcare (PHC) physician. We assessed factors associated with specialist involvement.

Methods: We used questionnaire and administrative data to measure co-management and patient and PHC practice characteristics in 702 primary care patients with common chronic diseases.

Influence of test position on neck muscle fatigue in healthy controls.

Background: It has been suggested that increased fatigue of neck muscles could be related to neck pain. However, studies on the matter present contradicting results which could be explained by the different test positions used.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of test position on muscle fatigue of neck flexor and extensor muscles in healthy controls.

Norms for 15- to 34-year-olds for different versions of the finger-to-nose test.

Objectives: To develop norms for the time to execute different versions of the finger-to-nose test (FNT) and to determine the effects of different testing procedures on performance in people aged 15 to 34 years.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Research center.