Health Services Research

changing health care environment.

Authors: Weingarten, Scott; Ellrodt, A. Gray

Citation: Physician Executive, April 1995 v21 n4 p19(2)

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Subjects: Medical care_Utilization

Medical protocols_Standards

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Author's Abstract: COPYRIGHT American College of Physician Executives

Health care in America is changing rapidly. The forces that are reforming our health care system are both numerous and compelling. Americans are requesting access to more affordable health care. At the same time, many Americans want to build upon what is considered the best and most technologically advanced health care system in the world. Especially during economically troubled times, innovative and well-formulated solutions to respond to these fundamental challenges are needed to improve the quality and accessibility of health care. It is essential that policy makers base their health care decision on sound medical research that specifically examines which aspects of medical care improve patient outcomes.

Full Text COPYRIGHT American College of Physician Executives 1995

The projects of health services research, a relatively new academic discipline, have the potential to enhance patient outcomes, improve patient satisfaction. In addition, many re

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ice guideline developed was approved by a panel of cardiologists at CSMC. It was made available to physicians to test its effect on patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and health care costs as part of a controlled interventional trial. Physicians were offered the option of using the guideline to complement their clinical judgment or rejecting the guideline; this decision was left to the discretion of the treating physician. After implementation of the guideline, health care became more efficient. Total costs, including both direct and indirect costs, were reduced by more than $1,000 per patient.[2] Moreover, the patient complication rate and the mortality rate were very low, and excellent patient outcomes were achieved.[2] Finally, an overwhelming majority of patients were satisfied with the medical care and would choose to return to the same hospital in the future. Similar studies are currently under way at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to assist in the care of patients with pneumonia, congestive heart failure, total hip replacement, hip fracture, total knee replacement, and upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, stroke, TURD, COPD, lumbar laminectomy, and lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The development and widespread avai
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Outcomes Information, Physician Executives, Center CSMC, Practice Guidelines, health care, Medical Center, TURD COPD, medical care, Medical Care, Journal Medicine, health services research, health services, services research, Title Applied, Internal Medicine, practice guidelines, patient outcomes, chest pain, care patients, applied health, applied health services, hip replacement, health care system, purchasers health care, cedars-sinai medical center,
Approximate Word count = 1357
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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