bocy care

OBJECTIVE: To assess consistency and long-term progress in thyroid biopsy performed by trained sonographers under supervision of a radiologist. METHODS: Trained sonographers started performing thyroid biopsy at our institute in August 2011. The data for this study were extracted from a prospectively maintained database for ultrasound guided thyroid biopsy and included the number of thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy procedures performed between August 2011 and 2016 and the final cytopathology report as per the Bethesda Classification...

Background: Telemedicine systems increase access to care, particularly in remote and developing countries. Nationwide telemedicine programs in Cabo Verde and Albania have been built by the International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation (IVeH) and based on the effective Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer (IBOT) strategy. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical results between the two programs and examine the relationship between the clinical teleconsultations as an indicator of health care system needs and the contribution of local telemedicine champions...

BACKGROUND: The telemedicine program in Albania includes a specialized teleneurotrauma program. There is only 1 national trauma center with neurosurgery capability in the capital city of Tirana. Patients with isolated head or spine injury who require consultation with neurosurgeons located at the National Trauma Center receive telemedicine consultation. The aim of this follow-up study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a nationwide teleneurotrauma network in preventing unnecessary transfers for neurotrauma...

Introduction: The Integrated Telemedicine and e-Health program (ITeHP) of Albania, built by the International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation (IVeH), has improved access to high-quality health care, particularly in high demanding specialty disciplines. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the majority of patients in remote and regional hospitals can be managed using telemedicine and will prevent unnecessary transfers. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients seen between January 2014 and September 2018 was conducted...

BACKGROUND: Use of telemedicine for neurotrauma when performed by neurosurgeons is an innovative care option for traumatic brain injury patients, particularly in countries with limited neurosurgery expertise resources. In recent years, Albania has developed a robust telemedicine program and teleneurotrauma is the flagship of the program. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the first neurotrauma patients managed via telemedicine in Albania. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on all telemedicine consultations for isolated neurotrauma was performed from 2014 through 2016...

BACKGROUND: Traumatic injuries have become a substantial but neglected epidemic in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but emergency rooms (ERs) in these countries are often staffed with healthcare providers who have minimal emergency training and experience. The aim of this paper was to describe the specialized training, available interventions, and the patient management strategies in the ERs in Albanian public hospitals. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 42 ERs in the Republic of Albania between September 5, 2014, and December 29, 2014 was performed...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the initial experience of the nationwide clinical telemedicine program of Albania, as a model of implementation of telemedicine using "Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer" strategy. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from teleconsultations in Albania between January 1, 2014 and August 26, 2015, delivered synchronously, asynchronously, or a combination of both methods. Patient's demographics, mode of consultation, clinical specialty, hospitals providing referral and consultation, time from initial call to completion of consultation, and patient disposition following teleconsultation were analyzed...

Enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase, FabI, is a key enzyme in the bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis pathway (FAS II). FabI is an NADH-dependent oxidoreductase that acts to reduce enoyl-ACP substrates in a final step of the pathway. The absence of this enzyme in humans makes it an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents. FabI is known to be unresponsive to structure-based design efforts due to a high degree of induced fit and a mobile flexible loop encompassing the active site...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are uncommon tumours believed to arise from interstitial cells of Cajal or their precursors in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, accounting for a small percentage of GI neoplasms and sarcomas. Given the recent recognition of GIST as a distinct cancer, as well as new treatment options available today, a review of the epidemiologic, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and economic burden of GIST is timely from a payer, provider and patient perspective and may provide guidance for treatment decision making and reimbursement...