Client satisfaction in support of service planning within a regulatory framework: experience of a research hospital.

Research Operations at UHN provide services to a large, complex client research community with varying needs. This requires complex coordination and continual refining of service and resource targets to meet client, government and external stakeholder requirements. The UHN Research Operations model focuses on six key enablers: client education, service team expertise, direct communication, process improvement, quality assurance, and, systems and tools.

Low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Canadian children: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: The incidence and prevalence rates of childhood Helicobacter pylori infection vary greatly by nation, with infection rates of 8.9% to 72.8% reported in developed and developing countries, respectively.

Positron emission tomography in the investigation of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Endoscopic and radiologic studies are frequently required in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to determine disease activity, extent of disease, and delineating disease type. Positron emission tomography (PET) using fluorine-18-fluoro-deoxyglucose to identify metabolically active tissues may offer a simple noninvasive alternative to conventional studies in identification and localization of active intestinal inflammation in children with IBD. The aim of this study was to assess the value of PET in identifying active intestinal inflammation compared with conventional endoscopic and radiologic studies, including small bowel follow-through and colonoscopy.

Prospective comparison of small bowel meal with pneumocolon versus ileo-colonoscopy for the diagnosis of ileal Crohn's disease.

Background And Aims: Both endoscopy and barium radiography are used routinely to diagnose terminal ileal (TI) Crohn's disease (CD). A prospective study was undertaken to compare ileoscopy with biopsy to small bowel meal with pneumocolon (SBMP) in patients with suspected TI CD.

Methods: A cohort of outpatients investigated for diarrhea with features of TI disease underwent SBMP followed by colonoscopy with ileal intubation and biopsy within 21 days.

Alternative medicine use by Canadian ambulatory gastroenterology patients: secular trend or epidemic?

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and determinants of alternative medicine (AM) use in gastroenterology outpatients and those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: An 80-item questionnaire, addressing symptoms, general health, quality of life, and AM use, was administered and analyzed using logistic regression.

Results: 52.

Use and misuse of cost-effectiveness terminology in the gastroenterology literature: a systematic review.

Objectives: The increased popularity of economic analyses for evaluating medical interventions has given rise to concern about the rigor with which economic constructs and terminology are used. True cost-effectiveness analysis considers both the costs and outcomes of alternative interventions. A systematic review of the gastroenterology literature was undertaken to evaluate how appropriately cost-effectiveness is assessed.