Annual report 1985-1986

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1986-1987

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1987-1988

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1988-1989

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1989-1990

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1990-1991

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1991-1992

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual Report 1992-1993

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Annual report 1993-1994

This annual publication includes a message from the president, events from the past year, information on schools within the university, finance and planning.

Hospital and Ambulatory Surgery Center Payment Manual

This manual contains the policy governing the billing and payment of hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for services rendered under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The payment rates listed herein are deemed by the Commission to be fair and reasonable.

Hospital and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Manual

This manual contains the policy governing the billing and payment of hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for services rendered under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The payment rates listed herein are deemed by the Commission to be fair and reasonable.

FOOTNOTES : S.C. DHEC NEWBORN SCREENING NEWSLETTER

These publications will include helpful tips for specimen collection, submission, follow-up contact information for DHEC NBS staff, and an educational section on specific disorders found on the newborn screening panel.

Does health service utilisation vary by remoteness? South Australian population data and the Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia

Objective: To compare rates of self-reported use of health services between rural, remote and urban South Australians. Methods: Secondary data analysis from a population-based survey to assess health and well-being, conducted in South Australia in 2000. In all, 2,454 adults were randomly selected and interviewed using the computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) system. We analysed health service use by Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) category. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the median number of uses of the four types of health services studied across ARIA categories. Significantly fewer residents of highly accessible areas reported never using primary care services (14.4% vs. 22.2% in very remote areas), and significantly more reported high use ( greater than or equal to6 visits, 29.3% vs. 21.5%). Fewer residents of remote areas reported never attending hospital (65.6% vs. 73.8% in highly accessible areas). Frequency of use of mental health services was not statistically significantly different across ARIA categories. Very remote residents were more likely to spend at least one night in a public hospital (15.8%) than were residents of other areas (e.g. 5.9% for highly accessible areas). Conclusion: The self-reported frequency of use of a range of health services in South Australia was broadly similar across ARIA categories. However, use of primary care services was higher among residents of highly accessible areas and public hospital use increased with increasing remoteness. There is no evidence for systematic rural disadvantage in terms of self-reported health service utilisation in this State.

Colorectal cancer survival in the USA and Europe: a CONCORD high-resolution study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent to which stage at diagnosis and adherence to treatment guidelines may explain the persistent differences in colorectal cancer survival between the USA and Europe. DESIGN: A high-resolution study using detailed clinical data on Dukes' stage, diagnostic procedures, treatment and follow-up, collected directly from medical records by trained abstractors under a single protocol, with standardised quality control and central statistical analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 21 population-based registries in seven US states and nine European countries provided data for random samples comprising 12 523 adults (15-99 years) diagnosed with colorectal cancer during 1996-1998. OUTCOME MEASURES: Logistic regression models were used to compare adherence to 'standard care' in the USA and Europe. Net survival and excess risk of death were estimated with flexible parametric models. RESULTS: The proportion of Dukes' A and B tumours was similar in the USA and Europe, while that of Dukes' C was more frequent in the USA (38% vs 21%) and of Dukes' D more frequent in Europe (22% vs 10%). Resection with curative intent was more frequent in the USA (85% vs 75%). Elderly patients (75-99 years) were 70-90% less likely to receive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Age-standardised 5-year net survival was similar in the USA (58%) and Northern and Western Europe (54-56%) and lowest in Eastern Europe (42%). The mean excess hazard up to 5 years after diagnosis was highest in Eastern Europe, especially among elderly patients and those with Dukes' D tumours. CONCLUSIONS: The wide differences in colorectal cancer survival between Europe and the USA in the late 1990s are probably attributable to earlier stage and more extensive use of surgery and adjuvant treatment in the USA. Elderly patients with colorectal cancer received surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy less often than younger patients, despite evidence that they could also have benefited.

The effect of non-medical factors on variations in the performance of colonoscopy among different health care settings

BACKGROUND: Previous published studies have shown significant variations in colonoscopy performance, even when medical factors are taken into account. This study aimed to examine the role of nonmedical factors (ie, embodied in health care system design) as possible contributors to variations in colonoscopy performance. METHODS: Patient data from a multicenter observational study conducted between 2000 and 2002 in 21 centers in 11 western countries were used. Variability was captured through 2 performance outcomes (diagnostic yield and colonoscopy withdrawal time), jointly studied as dependent variables, using a multilevel 2-equation system. RESULTS: Results showed that open-access systems and high-volume colonoscopy centers were independently associated with a higher likelihood of detecting significant lesions and longer withdrawal durations. Fee for service (FFS) payment was associated with shorter withdrawal durations, and so had an indirect negative impact on the diagnostic yield. Teaching centers exhibited lower detection rates and longer withdrawal times. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that gatekeeping colonoscopy is likely to miss patients with significant lesions and that developing specialized colonoscopy units is important to improve performance. Results also suggest that FFS may result in a lower quality of care in colonoscopy practice and highlight the fact that longer withdrawal times do not necessarily indicate higher quality in teaching centers.