A novel mortality model for acute alcoholic hepatitis including variables recorded after admission to hospital.

Severe forms of alcoholic hepatitis in patients with alcoholic liver disease are associated with high mortality; it is therefore vital to identify those patients at greatest risk of mortality in 28 days as they may benefit from aggressive intervention. The aim of this study is to propose a new predictive model that can be used in clinical practice to identify such patients and to monitor their progress while in hospital. A cohort of 82 patients was selected and for each of them, a number of clinical findings and standard laboratory tests at the time of admission to hospital were recorded.

Self-reported "communication technology" usage in patients attending a cardiology outpatient clinic in a remote regional hospital.

Purpose: This study assessed the perceived usage of, and attitudes toward, communication technologies (mobile phone and texting, e-mail, and the World Wide Web) in patients attending a cardiology clinic with a view to guiding future health service redesign.

Methods: This was performed in a remote regional hospital serving both urban and rural populations. A self-completion questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 221 patients attending a general cardiology clinic.