Can a nationwide media campaign affect antibiotic use?

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nationwide media campaign to reduce antibiotic overuse among children.

Study Design: Prospective observational study of the pediatric population of a health maintenance organization (HMO) comparing antibiotic use during the baseline (November 2004-February 2005) and study (November 2005-February 2006) periods.

Methods: During January 2006 the HMO conducted a media campaign to increase public awareness of the risks of misusing antibiotics, particularly for influenza-like diseases.

Physician speciality and adherence to guidelines for the treatment of unsubstantiated uncomplicated urinary tract infection among women.

Purpose: To evaluate the variance in rates of physician adherence to guidelines for the empiric treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) in women recommending either trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) or nitrofurantoin, in all relevant physician subspecialities practising in a managed care community setting in Israel.

Methods: Data were derived from the computerised medical records of Maccabi Healthcare Services, a health maintenance organisation (HMO) in Israel providing care to more than 1.6 million members nation-wide.

Health Value Added (HVA): linking strategy, performance, and measurement in healthcare organizations.

This paper describes "Health Value Added"--an innovative model that links performance measurement to strategy in health maintenance organizations. The HVA model was developed by Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel's second largest HMO, with the aim of focusing all its activities on providing high quality care within budgetary and regulatory constraints. HVA draws upon theory and practice from strategic management and performance measurement in order to assess an HMO's ability to improve the health of its members.