Author Interviews, Mayo Clinic, Outcomes & Safety / 23.07.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with Dr. Vinay Prasad, MD Medical Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Dr 10/12N226, Bethesda, MD20892. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Prasad: We reviewed all original articles in the New England Journal of Medicine over ten years.  1344 articles tested some medical practice-- which is a screening or diagnostic test, medication, procedure or surgery.  Only 27% or 363 articles tested current medical practice.  And of these articles 146 (40%) contradicted current standard of care, constituting a medical reversal. (more…)
Author Interviews, BMJ, Hospital Acquired, Infections, Outcomes & Safety / 19.06.2013

Marin L. Schweizer Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Marin L. Schweizer Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Schweizer: A clinical bundle that includes nasally screening cardiac and orthopedic surgery patients for S. aureus (both methicillin-resistant S. aureus and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus), decolonizing carriers, and changing antibiotic prophylaxis for MRSA carriers, can significantly reduce the number of gram-positive surgical site infections, S. aureus surgical site infections and MRSA surgical site infections. (more…)
Author Interviews, JAMA, Nutrition, Outcomes & Safety, Vegetarians / 06.06.2013

MedicalResearch.com eInterview with: Michael J. Orlich, M.D. Program Director Preventive Medicine Residency Loma Linda University www.lluprevmedres.org Research Fellow, Adventist Health Studies www.adventisthealthstudy.org MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Orlich: The main findings were these. Vegetarians, as we defined them, had reduced risk of death during the study period compared to non-vegetarians. This was true also for particular vegetarian diets including for vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and pesco-vegetarians.  Reduced risk was seen in particular for deaths related to disease of the heart, kidneys, and diabetes. Findings were stronger in men than women. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, Outcomes & Safety / 04.06.2013

James D. Chambers, PhD, MPharm Assistant Professor The Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies TuftsMedicalCenter www.cearegistry.org MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Epstein: Using cost-effectiveness evidence to help inform the allocation of expenditures for medical interventions in Medicare has the potential to generate substantial aggregate health gains for the Medicare population with no increases in spending. Reallocating expenditures for interventions in Medicare using cost-effectiveness evidence led to an estimated aggregate health gain of 1.8 million quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), a measure of health gain that accounts for both quality and quantity of life. (more…)
Hand Washing, Outcomes & Safety / 30.05.2013

Sarah Edmonds, Scientist at GOJO.MedicalResearch.com eInterview with: Sarah Edmonds, Scientist at GOJO. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: Implementation of electronic hand hygiene compliance monitoring with a clinical hand hygiene program significantly increased hand hygiene compliance rates, with rates during the study period being 92% higher than at baseline. MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected? Answer: While not necessarily unexpected we did find that electronic compliance monitoring alone may not be sufficient to raise compliance rates for a sustained period of time. After the clinical program concluded there was a significant drop in compliance rates so it is important to continue to monitor hand hygiene rates and continue to promote the program to sustain increased hand hygiene compliance. (more…)