Residency educators are identifying approaches to measure resident competence. Portfolios are well suited since they require work already completed as part of patient care where competency must be demonstrated. This paper describes assessment of the reliability and validity of portfolios in a psychiatry residency program. This was a…

The Working Together (WT) project involved the design and delivery of an online learning resource for healthcare teams in long-term care (LTC) so that knowledge regarding interprofessional collaborative patient-centred practice (ICPCP) could be readily accessed and then transferred to the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to better…

The process of relaxation is a complex triarchic phenomenon that incorporates behavioral, cognitive, and physiological components. Existing literature is surveyed in order to determine the efficacy of treating various forms of depression with cognitive-behavioral relaxation strategies. Relaxation training has been shown to be effective in treating…

Currently, the extent of palliative care instruction varies considerably across and within the three major phases of the physician education and training process. This analysis of current educational efforts in palliative care is based on information obtained from a survey conducted of all United States medical schools, surveys conducted on United…

The purpose of this study was to identify relations between nurses' interaction styles and patient care interventions (PCI) that occurred after nurse-doctor interactions. A nonparticipant observer recorded interactions of 48 female registered nurses with physicians. Transcripts were coded and assigned to one of five theoretical nurse interaction…

This document contains witnesses' testimonies from the Congressional hearing held in New York to gain that state's perspective on health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The hearing was convened by Robert Blancato and prepared statements from Representatives Mario Biaggi and Thomas Manton are included. Chairman Biaggi's statement calls the…

An exploratory study using interviews of 150 postpartum patients was conducted to determine their perceptions of the touching they received during labor. Answers to the interview questions were analyzed in terms of overall perceptions, positive experiences, and negative experiences, and selected demographic variables were examined for differences…

This two-volume compilation classifies, describes, and critiques 159 clinical nursing instruments; 140 which measure psychosocial variables, 19 which measure physiological variables. Instruments are in various formats: paper and pencil tests, questionnaires, interview schedules, observation guides, rating scales, and mechanical devices such as…

The author contends that the professional standards review organization (PSRO), a national effort to assure high quality medical care, offers a challenge and an opportunity to the academic medical center. He discusses potential impact on role definition, criteria development, continuing medical education, curriculum evaluation, and attitudinal and…

Reports a 4-year experience in teaching evaluation of care at a 3-year medical school. Topics are introduction of patient care evaluation, impact of professional standards review organization (PSRO) legislation on program design, results (evaluation of quality assurance program), and future teaching of quality-cost evaluation. (JT)

Early clinical trials (observational or randomized) hasten the prompt evaluation of new operations. Early clinical surveillance facilitates the design and implementation of randomized clinical trials when they are necessary. Long-term surveillance of operations allows continuing evaluation when their use becomes widespread. (BB)

Multitudinous brands of therapies and therapists now promise to fulfill Western man's historic longing for self-knowledge. Yet no technique bears a warranty, and self-anointed practitioners carry on without sanctions. Here are some guidelines for consumers and professionals. (Editor/RK)

Family physicians and specialists were asked to identify the sources of information they used in the process of making changes in their clinical practices. An average of 3.08 sources of information were utilized for each change and over 50 percent of the changes were complete in less than one year. (CT)

Compared the effects of fixed-interval and on-demand administration of analgesic medications in chronic pain patients. A fixed-interval analgesic schedule was found more effective than an on-demand schedule in reducing subjective pain and elevating mood. No differences were found between the two conditions on measures of physical activity.…

Indicates a vertical flow of influence from health professional to consumer, but questions the assumption that physicians are perceived as the most appropriate interpersonal sources for all health matters. Finds that sources of information and advice vary with the type and characteristics of the medication and the characteristics of the…