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Biomedical subjects

W M Tierney

Publications and source records attributed to W M Tierney.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Cost-effectiveness of increased telephone contact for patients with osteoarthritis. A randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of telephone intervention for patients with osteoarthritis. METHODS: Randomized, controlled trial. RESULTS: The intervention did not significantly increase health care costs. The annual costs for a 1-unit improvement in physical functioning and in pain, as measured by the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, were $70.86 and $31.00, respectively. CONCLUSION: Telephone contact is a potentially cost-effective intervention in osteoarthritis.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Requiring physicians to respond to computerized reminders improves their compliance with preventive care protocols.

OBJECTIVE: To improve compliance with computer-generated reminders to perform fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), mammography, and cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) testing. DESIGN: Six-month prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Academic primary care general internal medicine practice. SUBJECTS: Thirty-one general internal medicine faculty, 145 residents, and 5,407 patients with scheduled visits who were eligible for any of the three cancer screening protocols. INTERVENTION: Primary care teams of internal medicine residents and faculty received either routine computer reminders (control) or the same remainders to which they were required to circle one of four responses: 1) "done/order today," 2) "not applicable to this patient," 3) "patient refused," or 4) "next visit." RESULTS: Intervention physicians complied more frequently than control physicians with all remainders combined (46% vs 38%, respectively, p = 0.002) and separately with remainders for FOBT (61% vs 49%, p = 0.0007) and mammography (54% vs 47%, p = 0.036) but not cervical Pap testing (21% vs 18%, p = 0.2). Intervention residents responded significantly more often than control residents to all reminders together and separately to reminders for FOBT and mammography but not Pap testing. There was no significant difference between intervention and control faculty, but the compliance rate for control faculty was significantly higher than the rate for control residents for all reminders together and separately for FOBT but not mammography or Pap testing. The intervention's effect was greatest for patients > or = 70 years old, with significant results for all tests, together and singly, for residents but not faculty. Intervention physicians felt that the reminders were not applicable 21% of the time (due to inadequate data in patient's electronic medical records) and stated that their patients refused 10% of the time. CONCLUSIONS: Requiring physicians to respond to computer-generated reminders improved their compliance with preventive care protocols, especially for elderly patients for whom control physicians' compliance was the lowest. However, 100% compliance with cancer screening remainders will be unattainable due to incomplete data and patient refusal.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Clinical correlates of functional status in patients with chronic renal insufficiency.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are known to have significantly reduced functional abilities, as measured by the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP). We investigated the clinical correlates with SIP scores in a cohort of patients with lesser degrees of renal dysfunction recruited from an academic general medicine practice (mean calculated creatinine clearance, 25 mL/min). Of 603 eligible patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) defined as a serum creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dL and a calculated creatinine clearance less than 50 mL/min on two occasions more than 6 months apart, 360 (60%) agreed to participate. These patients were primarily elderly (mean age, 69 years) black (83%), women (69.2%), with an average of 6 years of education and a household income of $400 to $800 per month; 92% had hypertension and 57% had diabetes. The SIP was administered in-home by trained interviewers. Independent variables included demographic data, education, income, and medications (via interviewers), vital signs taken by a renal nurse, and diagnostic test results and diagnoses from patient's computerized records. The total SIP score was the dependent variable, and its physical and psychosocial subscales were also investigated. Variables with univariate correlations with total SIP (P < 0.05) were included in a multiple regression analysis. All variables with a multivariable P value less than 0.10 were included in the final model. The mean SIP score was 24.5 +/- 15.6, higher than that found in patients on dialysis. Significant (P < 0.05) independent correlates with higher SIP scores (greater disability) were lower educational level and income, prior diagnoses of coronary artery disease and stroke, and lower serum albumin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Estimating physician costliness. An empirical Bayes approach.

Outpatient data obtained from the general medicine practice of an urban, health care facility are used to provide an application of empirical Bayes techniques in the estimation of physician "costliness." The results illustrate that application of the simplest empirical Bayes estimation procedure can provide more reasonable estimates of physician's utilization of resources than a standard estimation procedure. Empirical Bayes estimates are shown to adjust for potential instability in standard estimates that may arise from either a physician treating a small number of patients or an inappropriate case-mix adjustment. Using simulation, it is demonstrated that the empirical Bayes procedure can provide overall better estimates using fewer data than the standard procedure. This application, although somewhat limited in scope, should provide impetus for increased utilization of the numerous Bayesian and empirical Bayes techniques that currently exist in the statistical literature and pertain to small area estimation techniques.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1992

Generic versus disease specific health status measures: comparing the sickness impact profile and the arthritis impact measurement scales.

Health services researchers frequently must choose between a generic health status measure, such as the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and a disease specific health status measure, such as the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS). In a longitudinal study of patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis, we examined the extent to which these 2 measures provide similar information. We found the SIP and AIMS to be significantly (p less than 0.001) correlated for physical (0.75-0.76) and total health (0.70-0.73). Correlations for psychological health were statistically significant, albeit modest (0.37-0.40). We conclude that, for most dimensions, investigators will obtain similar information using either well validated instrument.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Practice databases and their uses in clinical research.

A few large clinical information databases have been established within larger medical information systems. Although they are smaller than claims databases, these clinical databases offer several advantages: accurate and timely data, rich clinical detail, and continuous parameters (for example, vital signs and laboratory results). However, the nature of the data vary considerably, which affects the kinds of secondary analyses that can be performed. These databases have been used to investigate clinical epidemiology, risk assessment, post-marketing surveillance of drugs, practice variation, resource use, quality assurance, and decision analysis. In addition, practice databases can be used to identify subjects for prospective studies. Further methodologic developments are necessary to deal with the prevalent problems of missing data and various forms of bias if such databases are to grow and contribute valuable clinical information.

Clinical Medicine↗
PubMed1991

Validation techniques for logistic regression models.

This paper presents a comprehensive approach to the validation of logistic prediction models. It reviews measures of overall goodness-of-fit, and indices of calibration and refinement. Using a model-based approach developed by Cox, we adapt logistic regression diagnostic techniques for use in model validation. This allows identification of problematic predictor variables in the prediction model as well as influential observations in the validation data that adversely affect the fit of the model. In appropriate situations, recommendations are made for correction of models that provide poor fit.

Benzothiadiazines↗
PubMed1991

Practice randomization and clinical research. The Indiana experience.

Thoughtful preparation of a research laboratory is an early step in designing a program for scientific investigation. The Division of General Internal Medicine at Indiana University has maintained a "laboratory" for outpatient clinical investigation for more than 15 years. In this report, we describe the structure and function of the General Medicine Practice in the Regenstrief Health Center on the campus of the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Specifically, we discuss the ongoing random allocation of subjects, the local resources for data management and tracking of patients' use of clinical services, and how combining this information system into a randomized primary care system has fostered successful ventures in clinical investigation.

Health Services Research↗
PubMed1991

The impact of increased contact on psychosocial outcomes in patients with osteoarthritis: a randomized, controlled trial.

After baseline in home interviews, 439 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were randomly assigned to the control or one of 3 intervention groups which differed only in method of delivery (i.e., phone, clinic, both). Trained nonclinical interviewers reviewed medications, problems with joint pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, early warning signs for common chronic diseases, scheduled outpatient visits, an evening/weekend clinic telephone number, barriers to care, and suggestions to encourage participation during clinic visits. We hypothesized that the intervention would enhance social support, satisfaction with care, morale, and medication compliance. We found that none of the interventions had any effect upon these outcomes.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Time for action.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1990

The effect on test ordering of informing physicians of the charges for outpatient diagnostic tests.

We studied the effect of informing physicians of the charges for outpatient diagnostic tests on their ordering of such tests in an academic primary care medical practice. All tests were ordered at microcomputer workstations by 121 physicians. For half (the intervention group), the charge for the test being ordered and the total charge for tests for that patient on that day were displayed on the computer screen. The remaining physicians (control group) also used the computers but received no message about charges. The primary outcomes measured were the number of tests ordered and the charges for tests per patient visit. In the 14 weeks before the study, the number of tests ordered and the average charge for tests per patient visit were similar for the intervention and control groups. During the 26-week intervention period, the physicians in the intervention group ordered 14 percent fewer tests per patient visit than did those in the control group (P less than 0.005), and the charges for tests were 13 percent ($6.68 per visit) lower (P less than 0.05). The differences were greater for scheduled visits (17 percent fewer tests and 15 percent lower charges for the intervention group; P less than 0.01) than for unscheduled (urgent) visits (11 percent fewer tests and 10 percent lower charges; P greater than 0.3). During the 19 weeks after the intervention ended, the number of tests ordered by the physicians in the intervention group was only 7.7 percent lower than the number ordered by the physicians in the control group, and the charges for tests were only 3.5 percent lower (P greater than 0.3). Three measures of possible adverse outcomes--number of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and outpatient visits during the study period and the following six months--were similar for the patients seen by the physicians in both groups. We conclude that displaying the charges for diagnostic tests significantly reduced the number and cost of tests ordered, especially for patients with scheduled visits. The effects of this intervention did not persist after it was discontinued.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1990

Social support, stress and functional status in patients with osteoarthritis.

We investigated the relationship among social support, stress and functional status in 439 patients with osteoarthritis (OA). OA is among the most prevalent diseases affecting American adults and is a major contributor to functional impairment, morbidity, and utilization of health care resources. This study examines whether the impact of social support upon health was direct or indirect (i.e. it was present only when respondents were exposed to stressors). We also wanted to explore the relationship between functional status and specific dimensions of support (i.e. self-esteem, appraisal, belonging, and tangible support). Functional status (psychological disability, physical disability, pain) was assessed with the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS). Multiple regression suggested that exposure to stressors and low self-esteem support were associated with increased disability along all AIMS dimensions; appraisal support was not correlated with any AIMS score. Also, physical disability was associated with being older and having less tangible support (R2 = 0.17); psychological disability with being younger, caucasian, and having less belonging support (R2 = 0.47); and pain with being younger, caucasian and having less education (R2 = 0.15). In no instance was there empirical support for the buffering model. Self-esteem appeared to be the most, and appraisal the least, consistent social support dimension when predicting functional status. While exposure to stressors negatively affected all AIMS dimensions, its impact was greatest with respect to psychological disability. We conclude that social support had a direct, rather than indirect, impact on functional status. Future research should consider separately the impact of distinct social support dimensions.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Effect of hypertension and type II diabetes on renal function in an urban population.

End-stage renal disease is a devastating complication of essential hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus, conditions that commonly occur together. We and others have previously suggested that the outcome of both conditions may be influenced by more aggressive treatment. We examined a large general medicine outpatient population; 72% were black and 41% were diabetic (95% type II). Decreased renal function, defined as a serum creatinine greater than or equal to mg/dL, developed in 18.1%. A multivariable logistic regression analysis identified glucose control, systolic blood pressure level, and male gender as indicators of decreased renal function. These data suggested that both glucose and blood pressure control may decrease the frequency of impaired renal function. However, when these variables were controlled, blacks still had almost twice the risk for renal dysfunction of whites. The data draw attention to, and elucidate the exceptionally high incidence of renal dysfunction in hypertensive blacks with or without diabetes. Further, they may explain the inordinate numbers of blacks with hypertension requiring dialysis. Prospective trials to test the efficacy of blood pressure and glucose control on the course of renal disease in hypertensive and/or type II diabetic patients are warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Ibuprofen-associated renal impairment in a large general internal medicine practice.

The authors determined the incidence of ibuprofen-associated renal impairment and risk factors for its development in 1908 patients treated with ibuprofen using data from a computerized medical records system. Renal impairment occurred in 343 patients (18%). Multivariable analysis revealed six independent predictors of renal impairment: age, prior renal insufficiency, coronary artery disease, male gender, elevated systolic blood pressure, and diuretic use. They then tested the degree to which ibuprofen contributed to the development of renal impairment by evaluating a control group of 3933 acetaminophen recipients. Neither ibuprofen nor acetaminophen was among the independent predictors of risk when all patients were considered (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; 95% Cl, 0.88-1.26). However, two subsets of at risk patients had an ibuprofen effect: patients greater than or equal to 65 years of age who received ibuprofen were at greater risk of renal impairment as compared to acetaminophen recipients (adjusted odds ratio, 1.34; 95% Cl, 1.05 to 1.72) as were patients with coronary artery disease (adjusted odds ratio, 2.54; 95% Cl, 1.38 to 4.68). Their results suggest that elderly patients and patients with coronary artery disease are at risk for ibuprofen-associated renal impairment and therefore should have their renal function monitored when ibuprofen and possibly other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1989

Can the provision of information to patients with osteoarthritis improve functional status? A randomized, controlled trial.

After we assessed the functional status of 439 patients with osteoarthritis, we randomly assigned them to 1 of 3 intervention groups or to a control group. The interventions consisted of providing information, and differed only in the method of delivery: by phone, in person at the clinic, or both. Physical health improved (P = 0.02), pain was reduced (P = 0.02), and psychological health improved marginally (P = 0.10) in patients contacted by phone compared with those not contacted by phone. In those contacted only at the clinic, physical health worsened (P = 0.02), but neither pain (P = 0.80) nor psychological health (P = 0.90) differed from the values in patients not contacted at the clinic. We conclude that telephone contact is a useful intervention that can enhance the functional status of patients with osteoarthritis.

Consumer Behavior↗