BACKGROUND The purpose of this study is to compare air transportation of critically ill pediatric patients with a mixed air-ground transportation system by evaluating timeliness, safety, and cost. The setting was a tertiary care "hub" center with three outlying-referral "spoke" facilities. STUDY DESIGN Our study included 96 children transported between June and December 1997, with 45% constit...

Injury is a growing public health concern worldwide. Since severe injuries require urgent treatment, involving smooth, timely patient referral between facilities, strengthening of the referral system would reduce injury mortality. Smooth referral consists of identification of severe cases, organization of transportation, communication between facilities and prompt care at the receiving facility...

BACKGROUND In most low-income countries, many women with high-risk pregnancies and complications do not reach the referral hospitals despite the provision of referral advice. OBJECTIVE To explore how antenatal maternal referral advice is understood and handled in a rural Tanzanian community. METHODS Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with six women who did not go to hospital and ...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the veterinary referral process and factors that contribute to positive outcomes. OBJECTIVE To investigate equine referring veterinarians' (rDVMs') satisfaction with their most recent referral experience and compare rDVM and specialist perspectives. SAMPLE 187 rDVMs and 92 specialists (referral care providers). METHODS Cross-sectional observational study. ...

BACKGROUND In Saudi Arabia, the mortality of diabetes is currently reported at 6%. A well-administered referral system is crucial in aiding the management of this disease. METHOD A single reviewer employed a systematic approach to searching the literature databases with regard to the question: what are the attributes of referral systems in Saudi Arabia for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D)?...

context: over the last few decades, extensive efforts have been made worldwide to develop nanomedicine delivery systems, especially via oral route for antidiabetic drugs. absorption of insulin is hindered by epithelial cells of gastrointestinal tract, acidic gastric ph and digestive enzymes. evidence acquisition: recent reports have identified and explained the beneficial role of several struct...