The Development of a Quality Management Framework for Evaluating Medical Device Reprocessing Practice in Healthcare Facilities.

There is increasing awareness of the importance of medical device reprocessing (MDR) for the provision of safe patient care. Although industry service standards are available to guide MDR practices, there remains a lack of published key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets that are necessary to evaluate MDR quality for feedback and improvement. This article outlines the development of an initial framework that builds on established guidelines and includes service standards, KPIs and targets for evaluating MDR operations.

Benefits of routine immunizations on childhood survival in Tari, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Background: Non-specific beneficial as well as deleterious effects of childhood immunizations have been reported in areas of high mortality. This study aimed to determine the effects of diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell-pertussis (DTP), BCG, hepatitis B, and measles vaccines on mortality in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Methods: Demographic events for children born in 1989-1994 who were under monthly demographic surveillance in Tari were recorded from birth until age 2 years, out-migration, death, or the end of the study period.

The family health and rural improvement program in Tari.

The Family Health and Rural Improvement Program (FHRIP) grew out of 25 years of research activity in Tari. Between 1995 and 2000 FHRIP assisted over 300 families in 20 communities in Tari to acquire a water supply, sanitation, nutritional gardens and small livestock, and provided health education. The program demonstrated that with appropriate assistance local people could improve their health and start small projects that promise real development in their communities.

Antenatal utilization, family planning and fertility preferences in Tari.

This paper reports on the results of a questionnaire on antenatal utilization, family planning and fertility preferences carried out on 2560 women in Tari in 1998. There is a very high level of utilization of antenatal and delivery services. There is also a broad knowledge of family planning methods, but very low uptake of these services.

Social and economic conditions at Tari.

A social and economic survey was conducted in 1984 to assess the impact of development at Tari and to supplement the demographic data being collected by the Tari Research Unit. Of 1604 adults aged 17 years and over selected from the demographic database, 1389 were interviewed and information was collected on the remainder from informants. The survey reveals an uneven pattern of change, with men living close to the town most advantaged in terms of education, employment, diet and possessions, and women in remote areas the least advantaged.