Simulated standardized patients (SPs) are trained individuals who pose incognito as people seeking treatment in a health care setting. With the method's increasing use and popularity, we propose some standards to adapt the method to contextual considerations of feasibility, and we discuss current issues with the SP method and the experience of…

Children with autism spectrum disorder have unique needs during medical procedures involving anesthesia. However, with early patient identification, provider champions can adapt their practice to better serve this population, thereby improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. This article describes a novel protocol developed by an anesthesia…

Background: Cancer survivors must manage a range of adverse symptoms and side effects postdiagnosis. These effects often co-occur with preexisting comorbid conditions. Recognizing the complex chronicity of the disease, self-management support interventions have been developed to promote cancer survivors' knowledge, skills, and confidence to…

The U.S. healthcare system lacks incentives and quantitative evaluation tools to assess coordination in a patient's care transition process. This is needed because poor care coordination has been identified by many studies as one of the major root causes for the U.S. health system's inefficiency, for poor outcomes, and for high cost. Despite…

Diabetes and heart disease are among the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, and these conditions are especially prevalent in the South. South Carolina's persistent racial and socioeconomic disparities in chronic disease outcomes are well-documented, yet little is known about how health care practices in medically…

Medication review, a systematic assessment of a patient's medicines by a health care professional, is intended to prevent medication-related harms. A critical element of medication review concerns whether medication review is conducted in a coordinated way. This article draws from a case example of implementing medication review in two surgical…

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in paediatric patients following cardiac surgery has been well reported. Patients with Williams syndrome often require surgical intervention to correct congenital cardiovascular abnormalities and typically present with pre-existing interfering symptoms of anxiety. These patients may be at an…

Health care providers can experience increased diffculty communicating with adult patients during medical interactions when the patients have communication disorders. Meeting the communication needs of these patients can also create unique challenges for providers. The authors explore Communication Accommodation Theory (H. Giles, 1979) as a guide…

The study presented in this article explores to what extent and in what ways the communication between clinicians and patients on Ask-the-Expert healthcare websites is patient-centred. It further demonstrates the value of using a theory- and text-driven discourse analytical approach for the analysis of verbal communication in a (specific health)…

Multiple evidence-based approaches (EBAs) exist to improve colorectal cancer screening in health clinics. The success of these approaches is tied to effective implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of EBAs for colorectal cancer screening and clinic-level correlates of implementation in federally…

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is a powerful tool for social work education, preparing students to practice in integrated health care settings. In an educational environment addressing patient health using an integrated care model, there is growing emphasis on students developing clinical competencies prior to entering clinical placements or…

Context: Postprofessional residency (PPR) programs continue to gain popularity as athletic training education prepares for a paradigm shift. The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education has established didactic and clinical infrastructure for PPRs seeking accreditation. Accredited programs provide athletic trainers (ATs) with an…

Background: Issues of health and law are closely connected in people with chronic illness but as yet there is little emphasis in current health services funding and planning on establishing formal links between these two important areas. Context: The Mater Young Adult Health Centre and Health Advocacy Legal Clinic partnership offers an example of…

Changing demographics in the United States to a minority-majority culture require health care professionals who are culturally competent to provide appropriate care to patients. In a university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, a gap existed between student education and the culturally competent professional practice of entry-level…

Expenditures on health information technology (HIT) for healthcare organizations are growing exponentially and the value of it is the subject of criticism and skepticism. Because HIT is viewed as capable of improving major health care indicators, the government offers incentives to health care providers and organizations to implement solutions.…