The association between continuity of care in the community and health outcomes: a population-based study.

Background: The study goal was to assess indices of continuity of care in the primary care setting and their association with health outcomes and healthcare services utilization, given the reported importance of continuity regarding quality of care and healthcare utilization.

Methods: The study included a random sample of enrollees from Clalit Health Services 19 years-of-age or older who visited their primary care clinic at least three times in 2009. Indices of continuity of care were computed, including the Usual Provider Index (UPC), Modified Modified Continuity Index (MMCI), Continuity of Care Index (COC), and Sequential Continuity (SECON).

Towards global consensus on outcome measures for atopic eczema research: results of the HOME II meeting.

The use of nonstandardized and inadequately validated outcome measures in atopic eczema trials is a major obstacle to practising evidence-based dermatology. The Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative is an international multiprofessional group dedicated to atopic eczema outcomes research. In June 2011, the HOME initiative conducted a consensus study involving 43 individuals from 10 countries, representing different stakeholders (patients, clinicians, methodologists, pharmaceutical industry) to determine core outcome domains for atopic eczema trials, to define quality criteria for atopic eczema outcome measures and to prioritize topics for atopic eczema outcomes research.

[National and international sources for clinical quality indicators].

High quality healthcare necessitates taking appropriate steps to promote quality. One of the major tools used to promote quality in healthcare is clinical quality indicators. This paper briefly reviews major organizations dealing with quality indicators, in primary care as well as hospital medicine, in Israel and worldwide.

[The effect of the introduction of pneumococcal vaccination for adults as a quality measure on vaccination rates in Clalit Health Services].

Background: The incidence of invasive pneumococcal infections in industrialized countries is above 50/100,000 annuaty in adults over the age of 65 years. The Israel Ministry of Health recommends 23-valent polysaccharide anti-pneumococcaL vaccination for patients with immune suppression or chronic diseases and citizens above the age of 65 years.

Methods: in 1.