What I Learned Part 2
Day Two of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law ConferenceI picked up a number of tidbits from the poster sessions:-250,000 juveniles a year are sent to the adult criminal just system-3/4 of all juveniles serving life without parole were sentenced in five states-Louisiana uses an assertive community treatment program to supervise and restore incompetent, nondangerous criminal defendants. This sounds like a good way to get people out of the hospital, or avoid having to send them there in the first place-In Indiana, a survey was done of judges who have dealt with defendants claiming to be “sovereign citizen...
Source: Shrink Rap - October 25, 2014 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: ClinkShrink Source Type: blogs
Achieving better access to mental health services by 2020
This report shows what action the government is taking to provide better access to care in mental health services within the next year, including national waiting time standards for the first time. It also sets out its vision for further progress by 2020.
Policy paper
Department of Health - press release (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - October 8, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: Mental Health Source Type: blogs
Making parity a reality: six asks for the next government to improve the nation's mental health
Royal College of Psychiatrists - This manifesto calls for a firm commitment from all parties to take action to ensure that the millions of people who do, and will experience mental health problems are given timely, appropriate care. It highlights the need for a waiting time target for mental health treatment; improved access to crisis and specialist services; and greater investment in evidence-based parenting programmes.
Manifesto
Press release (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - September 19, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: General Election 2015 Mental Health Source Type: blogs
An urgent need: We Need to Talk's manifesto for better talking therapies for all
We Need to Talk - This investigation looked at data collected by the Health and Social Care Information Centre and found that mental health services are unable to cope with demand for psychological therapies. It argues that variations in referral rates and waiting times around the country are unacceptable and are making people more unwell.
Briefing
Press release (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - September 16, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: General Election 2015 Mental Health Quality of care and clinical outcomes Source Type: blogs
An Apple a Day: What the iPhone Can Teach Us About Health Care
What took Apple so long to get in to health care? Here’s my suggestion from 5 years ago:
The day before my daughter Elise’s 15th birthday, the new iPhone went on sale. My birthday was 4 days later. So Elise figured out we should buy each other an iPhone to mark our big days. She planned (and saved) for months. She spent weeks talking to friends, researching apps on line, planning for such accessories as protective covers, and educating herself on how to maximize her minutes.
When the big day came, we made our way to the Apple store and stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of others waiting on a ver...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - September 15, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Research and Reviews in the Fastlane 045
Welcome to the 45th edition of Research and Reviews in the Fastlane. R&R in the Fastlane is a free resource that harnesses the power of social media to allow some of the best and brightest emergency medicine and critical care clinicians from all over the world tell us what they think is worth reading from the published literature.
This edition contains 10 recommended reads. The R&R Editorial Team includes Jeremy Fried, Nudrat Rashid, Soren Rudolph, Anand Swaminathan and, of course, Chris Nickson. Find more R&R in the Fastlane reviews in the R&R Archive, read more about the R&R project or check out the f...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - August 25, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Anand Swaminathan Tags: Clinical Research Emergency Medicine Intensive Care R&R in the FASTLANE critical care Education literature recommendations Research and Review Source Type: blogs
Unintended consequences – we need to think like chess masters
After 12 years of blogging, I wonder if I should have titled this blog “unintended consequences”. So many rants focus on the unintended consequences that follow from health care policies.
The aphorism (falsely attributed to Samuel Johnson) states “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
Too often our policy makers, be they bureaucrats in government, insurance company managers or guideline creators, think like a chess beginner. They see the problem, and take the obvious solution. As H.L Mencken did say, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong...
Source: DB's Medical Rants - August 5, 2014 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: rcentor Tags: Medical Rants Source Type: blogs
Focus on: A&E attendances - why are patients waiting longer?
Nuffield Trust -This analysis from the Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation looks at patterns of A&E activity, the nature of the increased demand and what has driven waiting times upwards.
Report
Nuffield Trust - press release (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - July 24, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: NHS measurement and performance Patient involvement, experience and feedback Quality of care and clinical outcomes Source Type: blogs
The Need for Brave Health Reform
A Proposal for Private Health Reform in Australia
Australia’s health system is in need of reform. A recently published article by Country Doctor on KevinMD.com prompted me to solidify my thoughts on potential solutions which could improve the private health system in Australia. My apologies to our international readers for whom this will have less relevance, although I believe there are key messages that apply to all of our health systems.
In basic terms, the Federal Government in Australia funds General Practice consultations, Specialist Outpatient consultations and private hospital specialist fees via Medica...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - July 22, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Sean Rothwell Tags: Administration Featured Health Reports Politics Australia health reform MBS Medicare Benefits Scheme PHI private health Private Health Insurance Source Type: blogs
What Does the Blumsohn - Procter and Gamble -Sheffield University Affair Say About the Fitness of the Latest VA Secretary Candidate?
Introduction - New Leadership for the US Department of Veterans Affairs After reports of problems with access, manipulation of data about waiting times, and most recently "a corrosive culture," the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the country's large government run health system, has had a massive leadership overhaul. President Obama's nominee to head the agency is now Robert A McDonald, for CEO of Procter and Gamble. The choice of a former CEO or a large corporation was called "unorthodox" by the Boston Globe, but many saw merit in a business leader running the VA. As reported by the Globe, House Speake...
Source: Health Care Renewal - July 2, 2014 Category: Health Management Tags: Actonel ghost writing leadership manipulating clinical research Procter and Gamble revolving doors suppression of medical research Veterans Affairs whistle-blowers Source Type: blogs
General practice in England
House of Commons library - This briefing note provides general background information on NHS primary medical services provided by GPs in England. It has been updated to include sections on specific elements of the new GP contract including the introduction of named GPs for over 75s and increased choice of GP practice, as well as background to extended opening hours, out-of-hours services and waiting times for appointments.
Briefing
House of Commons library publications (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - June 9, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: Changing configuration of health services Commissioning Workforce and employment Source Type: blogs
Are we picking on VA hospitals too much?
How long do you think we’ll have to wait?
Ugly stories about waiting lists and poor care in VA facilities are coming out in the press. The VA’s head, Eric Shinseki has been run out of town. And investigations are underway into what’s going on and how to fix it.
The Wall Street Journal (Veterans Affairs Hospitals Vary Widely in Patient Care) used the VA’s internal data to compare the worst VA hospital (Phoenix) with the best (Boston) and to compare both with other VA hospitals that earn five stars. There are dramatic differences in areas like bloodstream infections and pneumonia rates and significant...
Source: Health Business Blog - June 4, 2014 Category: Health Managers Authors: David Williams Tags: International Policy and politics Research VA Source Type: blogs
Top stories in health and medicine, May 30, 2014
From MedPage Today:
Google Glass in Medicine: Not Quite Ready Yet. A long list of potential medical applications for Google Glass was counterbalanced by an equally long list of obstacles to widespread implementation.
Safety Net Hospitals Already Benefit from ACA. At Seattle’s largest safety net hospital, the proportion of uninsured patients fell from 12% last year to an unprecedented low of 2% this spring — a drop expected to boost Harborview Medical Center’s revenue by $20 million this year.
VA Health Probe Finds Wait-List Manipulation. A preliminary report by the inspector general of the Department of...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - May 30, 2014 Category: Journals (General) Authors: MedPage Today Tags: News Emergency Pediatrics Source Type: blogs
NHS waiting times for elective care in England
This report is the result of an inquiry that examined NHS waiting times for elective care in England. It found that public confidence in the 18-week referral to treatment waiting time target was undermined by errors in the recording of waiting time information and that the Choose and Book appointments system has been underused by both patients and healthcare professionals. The report makes recommendations for actions to be taken by the Department of Health in order to improve the quality of data collected and for an independent auditing system.
Report
Inquiry
Press release (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - April 29, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: NHS measurement and performance Quality of care and clinical outcomes Regulation, governance and accountability Source Type: blogs
NHS activity statistics
House of Commons Library - This briefing note analyses a range of measures of NHS activity in England, ranging from A&E admissions to cancer waiting times.
Briefing
House of Commons library - publications (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - March 18, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: The King's Fund Information & Knowledge Service Tags: NHS measurement and performance Source Type: blogs
