Intervention development for integration of conventional tobacco cessation interventions into routine CAM practice.

Background: Practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are an important and growing presence in health care systems worldwide. A central question is whether evidence-based behavior change interventions routinely employed in conventional health care could also be integrated into CAM practice to address public health priorities. Essential for successful integration are intervention approaches deemed acceptable and consistent with practice patterns and treatment approaches of different types of CAM practitioners - that is, they have context validity.

Developing a patient-centered outcome measure for complementary and alternative medicine therapies I: defining content and format.

Background: Patients receiving complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies often report shifts in well-being that go beyond resolution of the original presenting symptoms. We undertook a research program to develop and evaluate a patient-centered outcome measure to assess the multidimensional impacts of CAM therapies, utilizing a novel mixed methods approach that relied upon techniques from the fields of anthropology and psychometrics. This tool would have broad applicability, both for CAM practitioners to measure shifts in patients' states following treatments, and conventional clinical trial researchers needing validated outcome measures.

Medical errors affecting the pediatric intensive care patient: incidence, identification, and practical solutions.

The complexity of patient care and the potential for medical error make the pediatric ICU environment a key target for improvement of outcomes in hospitalized children. This article describes several event-specific errors as well as proven and potential solutions. Analysis of pediatric intensive care staffing, education, and administration systems, although a less "traditional" manner of thinking about medical error, may reveal further opportunities for improved pediatric ICU outcome.

Advances in cardiac intensive care.

Purpose Of Review: As surgical survival in children with congenital heart disease, particularly those with univentricular hearts, has improved in recent years, focus has shifted to reducing the morbidity of congenital cardiac malformations and their treatment. This review will focus on emerging therapies aimed at reducing these morbidities in the intensive care unit.

Recent Findings: A protracted stay in the intensive care unit after cardiac surgery is a risk factor for developing various morbidities.

Industry's perception of presenting pharmacoeconomic models to managed care organizations.

Background: Previous research has shown that pharmacoeconomic (PE) data are considered important but may not be optimally utilized by decision makers. No research has compared the effectiveness of different types of PE models.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived value and understanding of PE models among decision makers in managed care organizations.