Objective To summarize and analyze the working experience of hospital performance evaluation and reporting system in America, so as to provide decision support to China on such work as establishing objective, scientific and effective hospital performance evaluation system, strengthening government’s supervision to health service, and promoting hospitals’ sound development.Methods American official websites and databases were searched to include relative policies, reports and documents on hospitals’ performance evaluation. Results Typical hospital performance evaluation and reporting system in America included National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR), Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System (CAHPS), Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS), Leapfrog Group Evaluation System and Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals. Conclusion The enlightenments of American performance performance evaluation systems to China include: a) more attention should be paid to performance evaluation; b) combined evaluation models and results application methods should be considered; c) comparatively scientific evaluation methods and comprehensive evaluation contents should be established.
Objective To evaluate evidence from American medical risk monitoring and precaution system (AMRMPS) which may affect the construction of Chinese medical risk monitoring and precaution system (CMRMPS). Methods We searched relevant databases and Internet resources to identify literature on AMRMPS, medical errors, and patient safety. We used the quality evaluation system for medical risk management literature to extract and evaluate data. Results In 1999, a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) not only showed the severity and cause of medical errors in America but also gave the solution of it. In 2000, the Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force (QuIC) was appointed to assess the IOM report and take specific steps to improve AMRMPS. After 5 years, a well-developed medical risk management system was established with the improvement in the public awareness of medical errors, patient safety, performance criteria of medical safety, information technology and error reporting system. There was still some weakness of this system in risk precaution and prevention. Conclusion The experience from AMRMPS can be used to establish the CMRMPS. Firstly, we should disseminate and strengthen the awareness of medical risk and patient safety in public. Secondly, we should establish hospital audit system which includes auditing of medical staff and course of medical risk in continuing and academic education. Thirdly, we should develop regulations and guidelines on health care, medical purchase and drug supply which will benefit in management of regular work. Fourthly, we should develop computer information system for hospital which will regulate the management without the disturbance from human. Lastly, we should emphasize outcome evaluations and strive for perfection during the process.
Hypertension is a strong risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure, and microvascular complications. Hypertension is common among patients with diabetes. Recently, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) published a new position statement which updated the assessment and treatment for hypertensive patients with diabetes. This interpretation is intended to help Chinese clinicians to understand the new ADA position statement.
The American Heart Association (AHA) released the 2017 American Heart Association Focused Update on Adult Basic Life Support and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Quality (2017 AHA guidelines update) in November 2017. The 2017 AHA guidelines update was updated according to the rules named " the update of the guideline is no longer released every five years, but whenever new evidence is available” in the 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. The updated content in this guideline included five parts: dispatch-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bystander CPR, emergency medical services - delivered CRP, CRP for cardiac arrest, and chest compression - to - ventilation ratio. This review will interpret the 2017 AHA guidelines update in detail.
In November 2017, the American Heart Association updated the pediatric basic life support and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality. The new guidelines focused on the clinical value of chest compression-only CPR versus CPR using chest compressions with rescue breaths in children, rather than a comprehensive revision of the 2015 edition guidelines. The Pediatric Task Force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation updated part content of the guidelines according to the continuous evidence review process. Guidelines recommend CPR using chest compressions with rescue breaths should be provided for infants and children with cardiac arrest. Bystanders provide chest compressions if they are unwilling or unable to deliver rescue breaths. This article mainly interprets the updated content.
Brain injury after cardiopulmonary resuscitation is closely related to the survival rate and prognosis of neurological function of cardiac arrest (CA) patients. Recently, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) published a practice guideline which had updated the evaluation of different treatments for reducing brain injury following cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In order to master and transmit AAN 2017 practice guideline on reducing brain injury following cardiopulmonary resuscitation, this paper interprets the new AAN clinical practice guideline to assist Chinese clinicians for better studying the guideline.
The American Thoracic Society Committee Task Force on Standards for Pulmonary Function had recommended a standardized reporting format for pulmonary function tests due to considerable variability in pulmonary function reports presented to end users, which might lead to potential confusion and miscommunication. This recommendation includes seven parts: overview, introduction, methods, report format, selecting and reporting reference values, grading the quality of pulmonary function tests and conclusions. This document presents a reporting format in test-specific units for spirometry, lung volumes, and diffusing capacity that can be assembled into a report appropriate for a laboratory’s practice. Recommended reference sources are updated, with especially emphasizing to adapt lower limit of normal (LLN) or z score instead of percent of prediction to estimate the abnormal results. This document provides detail and clear explanation on the recommendations, which might improve the interpretation, communication, and understanding of test results. However, parts of recommendation might not be used directly in our clinical practice owing to some specific conditions in China. We suggest to use appropriate normal predictions from Chinese population, to include small airway parameters such as mid-maximal expiratory flow for early detection of pulmonary function deterioration, and to include inspiratory flow volume curve, as well as strengthen the quality control data and figures in the report format.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common human skin tumor. In recent years, the incidence of cSCC is increasing annually. Although most cSCC is curable after basic treatment, the advanced cSCC progresses rapidly and poses a significant risk for the impact on quality of life and death. In 2017, the latest version of cSCC management guideline was developed by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) based on extensive evidence-based medical evidence, including cSCC biopsy techniques, histopathological assessment, clinical staging and grading, surgical and nonsurgical treatment, follow-up, recurrence prevention, and management of the advanced cSCC. The purpose of this article is to briefly introduce and interpretate this guideline.
The Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes released by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is one of the most important guidelines for clinicians. Based on the latest evidence of clinical studies, the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes is annually updated by ADA. The statements of ADA on diagnosis, assessment, and management in diabetes are recommended for clinicians, patients, and researchers. The latest edition of Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes was published in a supplementary issue of Diabetes Care in January 2018. This interpretation will focus on the updated contents and their best evidence and clinical importance in this guideline.
Surgical management of osteoarthritis of the knee: evidence based guideline contains 38 recommendations pertaining to the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) who are considering surgical treatment. Compared with the domestic consensus on diagnosis and treatment for KOA, this clinical practice guideline (CPG) prepared by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) has some advantages in terms of methodology selection and recommendation. Therefore, it is necessary for us to interpret this CPG to speed up the understanding and dissemination of the CPG. The ultimate aims are to: ① strengthen the standardization and understanding of surgical treatment of KOA; ② enhance the understanding of clinicians for this CPG in treating KOA; ③ speed up the development of guideline development methodologies in China; ④ provide methodological guidance for the development of CPG based on the current situation in China.