call center

Western Europe boasts advanced health care systems, robust kidney care guidelines, and a well-established health care workforce. Despite this, significant disparities in kidney replacement therapy incidence, prevalence, and transplant access exist. This paper presents the third International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas's findings on kidney care availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality in 22 Western European countries, representing 99% of the region's population. The known chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence across Western Europe averages 10...

This comprehensive review delves into the spectrum of adolescent gynecological problems, shedding light on the multifaceted challenges faced by individuals between the ages of 10 and 19. Covering normal developmental changes, common issues such as menstrual disorders, and the intricate interplay of psychosocial and cultural factors, the review provides a holistic understanding of adolescent gynecological health. Key findings underscore the importance of tailored education, destigmatizing reproductive health discussions, and recognizing the critical role of mental health in overall well-being...

INTRODUCTION: Both Orthopedic Surgery (OS) and Neurosurgery (NS) perform spine surgery in the setting of trauma. However, it is unknown whether outcomes differ between these specialties. This study compares management and outcomes for vertebral fractures between NS and OS, hypothesizing similar operation rate, length of stay (LOS), and readmission. RESEARCH QUESTION: Do outcomes differ between NS and OS in the management of vertebral fractures following trauma? METHODS: A retrospective single-center study was conducted on adult patients with cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral fractures treated at a single trauma center, where no standardized pathway exists across NS and OS...

Facing increasing economization in the health care sector, clinicians have to adapt not only to the ever-growing economic challenges, but also to a patient-oriented health care. Treatment costs are the most important variable for optimizing success when facing scarce human resources, increasing material- and infrastructure costs in general, as well as low revenue flexibility due to flat rates per case in Germany, the so-called Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG). University hospitals treat many patients with particularly serious illnesses...

Chronic wounds have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life. Different pathologies, such as poor blood supply and tissue breakdown, may lead to inadequate oxygenation of the wound. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2 ) is a widely used treatment for an increasing number of medical practices. A new so-called "hyperbaric treatment" trend has emerged. The use of low-pressure, soft-sided, or inflatable chambers represents a growing trend in hyperbaric medicine. Used in professional settings as well as directly marketed to individuals for home use, they are promoted as equivalent to clinical hyperbaric treatments provided in medical centers...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a new model, Case Analysis and Translation to Care in Hospital (CATCH), for the review of pediatric inpatient cases when an adverse event or "close call" had occurred. STUDY DESIGN: The curricular intervention consisted of an introductory podcast/workshop, mentorship of presenters, and monthly CATCH rounds over sixteen months. The study was conducted with 22 pediatricians at a single tertiary care center. Intervention assessment occurred using participant surveys at multiple intervals: pre/post the intervention, presenter experience (post), physicians-involved and mentors experience (post), and after each CATCH session...

PURPOSE: Traffic accidents persist as a leading cause of death. European law mandates the integration of automatic emergency call systems (eCall). Our project focuses on an automated injury prediction device for car accidents, correlating technical and epidemiological input data, such as age, gender, seating position, impact on the passenger compartment, seatbelt usage, impact direction, EES, vehicle class, and airbag deployment. This study aims to explore interobserver variability in data collection quality in real accident scenarios...

Rapidly evolving genomic technologies have made genetic expanded carrier screening (ECS) possible for couples considering a pregnancy. The aim of ECS is to identify couples at risk of having a child affected with a severe disorder and to facilitate their reproductive decision-making process. The ECS test we offer at our center, called BeGECS (Belgian Genetic ECS), consists of 1268 autosomal recessive (AR) and X-linked pathogenic genes, including severe childhood-onset disorders. However, thus far data are scarce regarding the actual uptake of preconception ECS in a clinical setting...

BACKGROUND: Shortness of breath is a common complaint among individuals contacting emergency communication center (EMCCs). In some prehospital system, emergency medical services include an advanced life support (ALS)-capable team. Whether such team should be dispatched during the phone call or delayed until the BLS-capable paramedic team reports from the scene is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of delayed MMT dispatch until receiving the paramedic review compared to immediate dispatch at the time of the call on patient outcomes...

Citizen science is a participatory science approach in which members of the public (citizens) collaborate with scientists and professional researchers and become involved in research and innovation activities, resulting in the co-creation of scientific knowledge and innovation. Citizen science has been widely applied in research, particularly in the social sciences, environmental sciences, information and communication technologies, and public health. However, the application of this approach in clinical sciences, particularly in translational medicine research, is still nascent...

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of COVID-19 on physical therapy (PT) mobilization of trauma patients and to determine if mobilization affected patient course in the ICU. This retrospective study included patients who were admitted to the ICU of a level II trauma center. The patients were divided into two groups, i.e., those admitted before ( n = 378) and after ( n = 499) 1 April 2020 when Georgia's COVID-19 shelter-in-place order was mandated. The two groups were contrasted on nominal and ratio variables using Chi-square and Student's t -tests...

Lung cancer is a paradigm for a genetically driven tumor. A variety of drugs were developed targeting specific biomarkers requiring testing for tumor genetic alterations in relevant biomarkers. Different next-generation sequencing technologies are available for library generation: 1) anchored multiplex-, 2) amplicon based- and 3) hybrid capture-based-PCR. Anchored multiplex PCR-based sequencing was investigated for routine molecular testing within the national Network Genomic Medicine Lung Cancer (nNGM). Four centers applied the anchored multiplex ArcherDX-Variantplex nNGMv2 panel to re-analyze samples pre-tested during routine diagnostics...

BACKGROUND: The National Clinician Consultation Center (NCCC) operates the PEPline, a federally-funded educational resource providing bloodborne pathogen exposure management tele-consultation to U.S. clinicians. METHODS: 67,109 occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) consultations (January 2014 to December 2022) were retrospectively analyzed to describe PEPline utilization and common inquiries addressed by NCCC consultants. RESULTS: Most calls involved percutaneous incidents (70%); blood was the most common body fluid discussed (60%)...

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials typically require study-specific visits, which can burden participants and sites. Remote follow-up, such as centralized call centers for participant-reported or site-reported, holds promise for reducing costs and enhancing the pragmatism of trials. In this secondary analysis of the CONNECT-HF trial, we aimed to evaluate the completeness and validity of the remote follow-up process. METHODS AND RESULTS: CONNECT-HF evaluated the effect of a post-discharge quality improvement intervention for heart failure compared to usual care for up to 1 year...

INTRODUCTION: Less invasive surfactant application (LISA) is associated with improved short-term outcomes in preterm infants. Data on LISA eligibility and success for infants <28 weeks of gestation are lacking. METHODS: Preterm infants <28 weeks of gestation who were born and actively treated in our tertiary care center in 2018 were included in the retrospective study. We assessed baseline characteristics, delivery room (DR) management, LISA success and complications, and short-term outcome...

Hydrogen bonding networks are ubiquitous in biological systems and play a key role in controlling the conformational dynamics and allosteric interactions of enzymes. Yet in small organometallic catalysts, hydrogen bonding rarely controls ligand binding to the metal center. In this work, a hydrogen bonding network within a well-defined organometallic catalyst works in concert with cation-dipole interactions to gate substrate access to the active site. An ammine ligand acts as one cofactor, templating a hydrogen bonding network within a pendent crown ether and preventing the binding of strong donor ligands, such as nitriles, to the nickel center...

BACKGROUND: The increasing number of requests for help for acutely ill patients and their management is a major problem in the health systems of many countries, but especially in Germany. Rescue coordination centers and ambulances in Germany are increasingly overloaded. As a result, rides as a part of rescue operations have been increasing in length for years, yet a relevant proportion of these operations represent low-acuity calls (LACs). The basic objective of this pilot study is the quantitative analysis of the potential misuse of requests to the rescue control center...

The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic produced an unprecedented strain on the United States medical system. Prior to the pandemic, there was an estimated 20,000 physician shortage. This has been further stressed by physicians falling ill and the increased acuity of the COVID-19 patients. Federal medical team availability was stretched to its capabilities with the large numbers of deployments. With such severe staffing shortages, creative ways of force expansion were undertaken. New Orleans, Louisiana, was one of the hardest hit areas early in the pandemic...

Qualitative health care research can provide insights into health care practices that quantitative studies cannot. However, the potential of qualitative research to improve health care is undermined by reporting that does not explain or justify the research questions and design. The vital role of research frameworks for designing and conducting quality research is widely accepted, but despite many articles and books on the topic, confusion persists about what constitutes an adequate underpinning framework, what to call it, and how to use one...

Microhabitat utilisation holds a pivotal role in shaping a species' ecological dynamics and stands as a crucial concern for effective conservation strategies. Despite its critical importance, microhabitat use has frequently been addressed as static, centering on microhabitat preference. Yet, a dynamic microhabitat use that allows individuals to adjust to fine-scale spatio-temporal prey fluctuations, becomes imperative for species thriving in challenging environments. High-elevation ecosystems, marked by brief growing seasons and distinct abiotic processes like snowmelt, winds, and solar radiation, feature an ephemeral distribution of key resources...