Study protocol of "CHAPS": a randomized controlled trial protocol of Care Coordination for Health Promotion and Activities in Parkinson's Disease to improve the quality of care for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is diagnostically defined by motor impairments, but also includes often under-recognized impairments in cognition, mood, sleep, and the autonomic nervous system. These problems can severely affect individuals' quality of life. In our prior research, we have developed indicators to measure the quality of care delivered to patients with Parkinson's disease, and we identified gaps in delivering evidence-based treatments for this population.

Methamphetamine-induced neuronal necrosis: the role of electrographic seizure discharges.

We have evidence that methamphetamine (METH)-induced neuronal death is morphologically necrotic, not apoptotic, as is currently believed, and that electrographic seizures may be responsible. We administered 40mg/kg i.p.

A medical student leadership course led to teamwork, advocacy, and mindfulness.

Background And Objectives: Many medical trainees seek work among underserved communities but may be unprepared to cope with the challenges. Relationship-centered qualities have been shown to promote physician resilience and prevent burnout. The UCLA-PRIME program aims to prepare medical students to work among vulnerable groups and begins with a 3-week leadership course.

Preventing pressure ulcers in hospitals: A systematic review of nurse-focused quality improvement interventions.

Background: A systematic review of the literature on nurse-focused interventions conducted in the hospital setting informs the evidence base for implementation of pressure ulcer (PU) prevention programs. Despite the availability of published guidelines, there is little evidence about which interventions can be successfully integrated into routine care through quality improvement (QI). The two previous literature syntheses on PU prevention have included articles from multiple settings but have not focused specifically on QI.

Targeting primary care referrals to smoking cessation clinics does not improve quit rates: implementing evidence-based interventions into practice.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a locally adapted evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) approach to implementation of smoking cessation guidelines into routine practice.

Data Sources/study Setting: We used patient questionnaires, practice surveys, and administrative data in Veterans Health Administration (VA) primary care practices across five southwestern states.

Study Design: In a group-randomized trial of 18 VA facilities, matched on size and academic affiliation, we evaluated intervention practices' abilities to implement evidence-based smoking cessation care following structured evidence review, local priority setting, quality improvement plan development, practice facilitation, expert feedback, and monitoring.

Primary care practice organization influences colorectal cancer screening performance.

Objective: To identify primary care practice characteristics associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) screening performance, controlling for patient-level factors.

Data Sources/study Setting: Primary care director survey (1999-2000) of 155 VA primary care clinics linked with 38,818 eligible patients' sociodemographics, utilization, and CRC screening experience using centralized administrative and chart-review data (2001).

Study Design: Practices were characterized by degrees of centralization (e.

Gastroduodenal perfusion and mortality in mechanical ventilation-dependent patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

The role of gastrointestinal blood flow determination in predicting mortality is not known. We tested the hypothesis that when mechanical ventilation-dependent (MVD) patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) develop a significant reduction in gastroduodenal blood flow, high mortality will ensue. The design was a prospective, observational study at the intensive care unit (study patients) and outpatient endoscopy suite (controls) of a tertiary care Veterans Affairs Hospital.