OBJECTIVES Due to the aging baby boom population, utilization rates of diagnostic imaging (i.e., X-ray, CT, and MRI scanning) have risen rapidly relative to other health services. The aim of this study is to investigate the utilization patterns of outpatient diagnostic imaging services (X-ray, CT, and MRI) across the late life course (65 years and older). METHODS A population-based retrospect...

Structural pathologies in the uterine cavity such as müllerian duct anomalies (MDAs) and intrauterine lesions (fibroids, polyps, synechiae) may have important roles in subinfertility, implantation failure and pregnancy outcome. Various imaging modalities such as hysterosalpingography (HSG), sonography, laparoscopy and hysteroscopy are used in the evaluation of MDAs and intrauterine lesions. Rec...

Results In this retrospective study, we analyzed 175 patients who presented at our outpatient stroke clinic between January, 2013 and June, 2015 with either unilateral symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid artery disease, and who had had CT angiography imaging performed. Demographic properties, carotid artery stenosis and the anomaly of the circle of Willis was recorded. Conclusion There was no...

Background Both midwall and infarction-related fibrosis affect prognosis in patients with aortic stenosis. CMR remains the gold standard for identification of replacement fibrosis, however its use can be limited by patient suitability, cost and availability. We sought to develop a clinical model to identify the presence of fibrosis (midwall or infarction) based on variables from patient demogra...

Established ablative therapies for the treatment of primary and secondary liver tumours, including percutaneous ethanol injection, cryotherapy, and radiofrequency ablation, are discussed. Newer techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging guided laser interstitial thermal therapy of liver tumours has produced a median survival rate of 40.8 months after treatment. The merits of this newly emerg...

Background Prescription fill rates for children being discharged from the emergency department (ED) after asthma exacerbations are low, placing the child at risk for additional ED visits or admissions for asthma. This article describes the implementation of an ED asthma prescription delivery service designed to improve pharmacy prescription capture and decrease ED revisit rates. Methods A cor...

This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2018 to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this final rule with comment period, we describe the changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates fo...

Two studies were conducted to assess the train clinical interviewing skills. In Experiment 1, eight university practicum students ("therapists") and either role played or volunteer "clients" were audiotaped during simulated interviews. Following the collection of baseline data on both therapist and client responses, training was provided by way of written materials, classroom instruction and pr...