A report on radiology at Muhimbili Medical Center, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F R Porter.
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Primary panendoscopy is defined as a limited-consultative, diagnostic, UGI endoscopic examination that provides, in non-critically ill patients with dyspeptic symptoms, an accurate and cost-effective alternative to the standard UGI x-ray examination. The procedure was instituted at St. Mary's Medical Center's hospital in February 1985. During the first 12 months, a total of 321 patients were examined: 212 inpatients and 109 outpatients. In those patients with complete information, primary panendoscopy changed the diagnosis in 67% and the treatment in 52%. As expected, the number of esophagogastroduodenoscopies decreased during this time, but the combined numbers of primary panendoscopies and esophagogastroduodenoscopies exceeded the projected increase of esophagogastroduodenoscopies. Similarly, the number of UGI x-ray examinations fell sharply. With a physician fee of $150.00 and a facility fee of $50.00, theoretical savings of some $117,000.00 to the patients were estimated. The authors conclude that primary panendoscopy provides a cost-effective and beneficial patient service that warrants broad consideration by gastroenterologists as they face the cost constraints being imposed within the health care system of the 1980s.
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