Pooling for SARS-CoV-2 control in care institutions.

Background: Workers and residents in Care Homes are considered at special risk for the acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection, due to the infectivity and high mortality rate in the case of residents, compared to other containment areas. The role of presymptomatic people in transmission has been shown to be important and the early detection of these people is critical for the control of new outbreaks. Pooling strategies have proven to preserve SARS-CoV-2 testing resources.

Impact of a Home Telehealth Program After a Hospitalized COPD Exacerbation: A Propensity Score Analysis.

Introduction: Currently there is lack of data regarding the impact of a home telehealth program on readmissions and mortality rate after a COPD exacerbation-related hospitalization.

Objective: To demonstrate if a tele-monitoring system after a COPD exacerbation admission could have a favorable effect in 1-year readmissions and mortality in a real-world setting.

Methods: This is an observational study where we compared an intervention group of COPD patients treated after hospitalization that conveyed a telehealth program with a followance period of 1 year with a control group of patients evaluated during one year before the intervention began.

Impact of malnutrition in the embolic-haemorrhagic trade-off of elderly patients with atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Nutrition is an important determinant of health above the age of 80 years. Malnutrition in the elderly is often underdiagnosed. The aim of this study was to report the prevalence and prognostic value of malnutrition in patients ≥80 years old with atrial fibrillation (AF) with and without anticoagulant therapy.

Standardization Consensus of a Hospital Drug Database: An Efficient Tool.

Background: Although the electronic prescribing software is the same for all hospitals of a regional health service, each has its own drug database, which it is responsible for maintaining. The aim of this study was to develop a consensus to standardize the hospital drug database of the electronic prescribing software, and to apply this tool to the electronic prescribing system of an oncology outpatient clinic of a Spanish tertiary-level hospital. Additionally, we sought to analyze the impact of the implemented actions on the health care services provided.

Pharmacotherapeutic Reports as Tools for Detecting Discrepancies in Continuity of Care.

Background: The care transition is the time when more medication errors occur. The aim of this study is to analyze the usefulness of a pharmacotherapeutic report model at hospital discharge to prevent medication errors and to simplify pharmacotherapy during a patient's transition from the hospital to primary care.

Methods: Prospective study including patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were admitted to a short-stay unit or an emergency room.

Telephone consultation in primary care.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze a teleconsultation modality based on a simple telephone call, using either landline or mobile phone, made available to more than two million people. Telecommunication systems are an increasingly common feature in modern healthcare. However, making teleconsultations available to the entire population covered by a public health system is a challenging goal.

Recommendations for treatment with IMRT for prostate and head-neck cancer. Axencia de Avaliación de Tecnoloxías Sanitarias de Galicia.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an advanced form of radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer that allows, on one hand, to administer a more homogeneous dose to the patients on the volume to irradiate (which would increase the local control of the disease), and on the other hand, to diminish the toxicity in the organs at risk. This type of treatment is based on imaging techniques, on computer dosimetry programs, and on more precise immobilization accessories. Before delivering IMRT it is necessary to establish a protocol that includes the different phases of the treatment process, that is, the obtaining of anatomical data, beam definition, calculation, dose distribution, and treatment performance and control.