IMPORTANCE The cost difference is evaluated between delayed sequential cataract surgery (DSCS) and immediate sequential cataract surgery (ISCS) in the United States for patients covered by Medicare. OBJECTIVE To perform a cost-minimization analysis comparing ISCS with DSCS in the United States from the payer, patient, and societal perspectives for the West Tennessee region and nationally. D...

Veterinary education in South Africa started in 1920 when the Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty was created. Sir Arnold Theiler was close to retirement when he finally officiated as Dean at the graduation ceremony in 1926 for the class of 1925, constituting the 2nd group of graduates. In this article the fateful circumstances that dictated the final years of Theiler's brilliant career and their ...

BACKGROUND Placebo interventions can have meaningful effects for patients. However, little is known about the circumstances of their use in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate to what extent and in which way Swiss primary care providers use placebo interventions. Furthermore we explored their ideas about the ethical and legal issues involved. METHODS 599 questionnaires were sent to gen...

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants should be able to identify the principles behind the Neuromonics™ Tinnitus Treatment (NTT) and understand its strengths and potential shortfalls. OBJECTIVES To describe the preliminary experience and efficacy of the NTT in an independent, non-industry sponsored private otology practice clinical study. STUDY DESIG...

O f the many issues that emerge when talking with therapists about school-based practice, one of the most critical has ro do wim third-parry agenrs (physicians, private practice occupational therapists based in medical facilities, etc.) performing independenr evaluations for children with special needs and rendering a prescription I for occupational therapy services ro be provided by the public...

By JEFF OZMON, VP–CONSULTING, MEdAxIOM CONSULTING The past five years in cardiology have seen a tremendous shift from private practice to integrated1 practices. Today, those initial contracts are coming up for review, with physician compensation once again a major issue. During the initial contracting discussions, most deals between physicians and health care organizations stabilized physician ...

BACKGROUND In Germany, clinical trials and comparative effectiveness studies in primary care are still very rare, while their usefulness has been recognised in many other countries. A network of researchers from German academic general practice has explored the reasons for this discrepancy. METHODS Based on a comprehensive literature review and expert group discussions, problem analyses as we...

No sentient gastroenterologist has missed the fact that over the past 3 years, Medicare revalued our endoscopy codes. The impact of those reimbursement changes has been felt both by community gastroenterologists and those practicing in academic centers. Impacts are different, however, because funds flow, opportunities for ancillary income and compensation formulas all are different for private ...

BACKGROUND Radiation therapy is a keystone to improve survival and quality of life in breast cancer patients. In Mexico, however, scarce information is available on the obstacles faced by radio-oncologists to provide appropriate treatment. OBJECTIVE To determine the most frequent issues faced by physicians to provide radiation therapy for metastatic breast cancer in Mexico. METHODS A survey...

BACKGROUND Chronicity amongst musculoskeletal patients remains a considerable burden and predicting outcomes in these patients has proven difficult. Although a large number of studies have investigated a range of predictors of outcome few have looked at the practitioners' ability to discern those that improve from those most likely to fail to improve. This study aimed to investigate the ability...