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Biomedical subjects

J K Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to J K Sharma.

64 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Quality of medical care by central government health scheme--a study.

This study reports findings on the time spent by CGHS medical officers per patient in different medical care activities for 2,115 patients, as obtained by time study technique. This study was conducted during the year 1976-77. The average observed time spent by the medical officer per patient was found to be 117.15 seconds per patient. The medical officers elicited only main complaints without asking past and family history in 84.44 per cent of patients and the average time spent on history taking was 42 seconds per patient which also included examination of identify card, recording of name, age and sex of the patients. Physical examinations were conducted in only 23.88 per cent of patients and the time spent per patient was 45.93 seconds. The advice for investigations was imparted in 2.60 per cent of patients, though the facilities for routine laboratory examinations were available in the dispensaries. Advice to the patient regarding dietary instructions and general advice was exclusively given in only 5.20 per cent of cases whereas the family planning/health education advice to the patients was given only in 0.76 per cent of patients. The medical officers are aware of the inadequate quality of medical care provided to the beneficiaries and they felt they should at least spend 6.83 minutes for an old patient and 12.42 minutes for the new patient. Probably they are not able to do so because of long queues in the dispensaries during peak hours. Hence, to improve the overall medical care and provide comprehensive care to the beneficiaries it is suggested that the medical officers can be given certain beneficiary population and made responsible to them.

Appointments and Schedules↗

A cardiac evoked response algorithm providing automatic threshold tracking for continuous capture verification: a single-center prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The AutoCapture algorithm as implemented in Regency and Microny pacemakers (Pacesetter Inc., Sylmar, CA, USA) provides beat-by-beat monitoring of capture based on proper detection of the evoked response, provides high output back-up pulse when loss of capture occurs, performs periodic threshold evaluations and acquires the capture threshold data in a time-based event counter for later retrieval. The safety and efficacy of this algorithm was prospectively evaluated at a tertiary care hospital of north India. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-four patients (38 males, mean age 66+/-13 years) received a ventricular pacemaker model Regency SC+ with low polarization bipolar lead for high-grade atrioventricular block (n=42) and sick sinus syndrome (n=12). Evoked response and polarization signal were assessed initially at 24 hours postimplant, and follow-up measurements were systematically conducted at week 1 and months 1, 3 and 6. Further evaluation of eligible patients was performed at 6-monthly intervals. Lead implantation parameters were optimum in all patients. At 6 months, the algorithm was functional in 51 patients. The pacing threshold increased to 0.89+/-0.36 V (p<0.001) in the first month and stabilized thereafter. Significant saving of energy was accomplished by a constant output safety margin of 0.3 V instead of the traditional 100%. While the evoked response signal remained stable throughout the study period, the potential signal increased significantly from 0.6+/-0.7 mV to 1.0+/-0.6 mV (p<0.001) in the first month and remained steady subsequently. Back-up pacing in the event of exit block was confirmed in all 25 patients who underwent a 24-hour Holter test. Based on the suggested sense margins, ventricular undersensing was observed in 7 (28%) patients, the majority of whom had competitive cardiac rhythms. An elderly patient with pneumonic illness succumbed to pulmonary embolism at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: This large single-center experience on AutoCapture demonstrates the success of this algorithm in low-energy ventricular pacing without compromising the patient's safety.

Adolescent↗