Information technology. Looping the loop.

The demands of clinical governance will require major re-orientation of information systems in some hospitals. It is important that information systems provide clinical staff with access to relevant data from many sources. There are major issues of accuracy and security to be addressed in order to provide clinicians with the information they need.

Different approaches to the tasks of educating and training information systems professionals, within the National Health Service (UK).

In 1994, La Sainte Union College of Higher Education (LSU) developed an MSc in Health Informatics course, in conjunction with Southampton University NHS Trust (SUHT). The original part-time, 1 day per week mode of delivery has since been broadened to include a distance leaning route and recently a block release mode, by which students combine usage of the distance learning materials with attendance in College for an intensive 2-day taught element. Because the course was designed in close co-operation with a major teaching hospital, it has always been 'market led' to meet the needs both of the individual students and of the organisations that they work for.

The use of case mix measures in the planning and provision of health care.

Recent changes in the management of U.K. health care have been directed toward the provision of cost-effective care appropriate to the health needs of the population.

Parathyroid hormone, but not prostaglandin E2, changes the shape of osteoblasts maintained on bone in vitro.

Parietal bones from 2-week-old rats were dissected free from the sutural regions, dura mater, and periosteum, leaving the surface covered with osteoblasts and some osteoclasts. Prostaglandin (PG) production by these "stripped" bones under basal conditions and after exposure to parathyroid hormone (PTH) was measured by radioimmunoassay of the culture medium (minimum essential medium with or without added 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum). Cultured specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy for changes in osteoblast length, orientation, ruffling, and overlap.

Cancer Research Campaign Adjuvant Breast Trial for patients under 50.

The objectives of the Cancer Research Campaign Adjuvant Breast Trial are to determine whether the administration of a course of adjuvant tamoxifen, or ablation of ovarian function, results in a prolongation of time to recurrence or death, for women aged under 50 years and treated for operable breast cancer. The basis and aims of the trial are discussed.