The 1971-74 survey of the health needs and services provided to 668 New York City children in foster care indicated that the Medicaid program failed to ensure adequate routine care and treatment. Recommendations are made for the implementation of effective services. (Author/SE)

Presents a retrospective study of patients who died in a hospice home care program to examine quality of care and differences between patients who died at home and in the hospital. No prediction could be made of which patients could remain at home until death. (JAC)

Outlines a cursory history and commentary on the euthanasia movement in the United States and emphasizes the growing demand for recognition of the individual's right to make informed treatment decisions. The growing numbers and isolation of the elderly and effects in insurance coverage on the care of the dying are also discussed. (Author)

Discusses the many different taxonomies of nursing diagnosis and how it can be brought out of the theory into practical application. Explains five steps of nursing diagnosis: assessment, formulation, expected outcomes, individualized interventions, and evaluation. (JOW)

Context: Pregnant women in rural areas may give birth in either rural or urban hospitals. Differences in outcomes between rural and urban hospitals may influence patient decision making. Purpose: Trends in rural and urban obstetric deliveries and neonatal and maternal mortality in California were compared to inform policy development and patient…

A large study in the United Kingdom of support options for deaf and hearing-impaired children was conducted between 1998 and 2001. Findings have been reported on prevalence, demography, auditory performance, communication skills, educational achievements, and quality of life, costs including costs of compulsory education and costs incurred by…

Lack of sufficient accessible community-based health care services for individuals with developmental disabilities has led to disparities in health outcomes and an overreliance on expensive models of care delivered in hospitals and other safety net or state-subsidized providers. A functioning community-based primary health care model, with an…

This paper discusses the abuse of medicines, particularly drugs, by society as a whole, but particularly in relation to children. (CM)

Interviewed 140 elderly medical patients and found that the measured 22 percent prevalence of mental impairment was not reflected in the patients' utilization of mental health services or in their presenting complaints to their physicians. Subsequent interviews with their physicians revealed inadequate recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of…

A model for program evaluation that was originally designed for use by educational evaluators has been found useful for the evaluation of health care delivery programs. The model provides the basis for comprehensive evaluation and could serve as a useful tool for nurse administrators in the ongoing evaluation of programs they supervise. (Author)

Although subject to modification by political, funding, and popular considerations, the audit review of psychiatric facilities is seen as a useful step in providing quality care. (CM)

Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of the quality of nursing care. However, it raises numerous dilemmas: lack of consistent conceptualization and a theoretical framework, lack of reliable measurement approaches, and inconsistency of instruments. (SK)

The authors' dual-purpose evaluation assesses the effectiveness of formal collaboratives in stimulating organizational changes to improve chronic illness care (the chronic care model or CCM). Intervention and comparison sites are compared before and after introduction of the CCM. Multiple data sources are used to measure the degree of…

Context and Purpose: With heightened attention to medical errors and patient safety, we surveyed Utah and Missouri hospitals to assess the "state of the art" in patient safety systems and identify changes over time. This study examines differences between urban and rural hospitals. Methods: Survey of all acute care hospitals in Utah and…

Purpose: To assess the extent of bypass for inpatient care among patients living in Critical Access Hospital (CAH) service areas, and to determine factors associated with bypass, the reasons for bypass, and what CAHs can do to retain patients locally. Methods: Six hundred and forty-seven subjects, aged 18 years and older, who had been admitted to…