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[Rethinking the visiting nurse system at a major regional hospital].

The authors' hospital is a National Health Insurance System Hospital near four cities. It serves as the central hospital for a region with a population of about 330,000 people. The hospital has 585 beds and sees an average of 1,500 outpatients each day. The average number of hospitalized patients each day is 500. Its visiting nurse department is located in a regional medical center and functions as a "Visiting Nurse Center". The purpose of the present study was to review the visiting nurse system at our hospital that has been operating for the past 8 years. The motivation for this review was our intention to actively increase the number of people advantage of such services, and attempt to provide continuous care for each individual patient. By looking back on the system as it has been practiced, its procedures, and results during the 8 years from 1990 to 1997, we can consider points for improvement from among the problem points discovered. The problems uncovered in our practice of home nursing care are listed below. 1. It is difficult to present a list with an estimated period for the release from the hospital. 2. Instructions for leaving the hospital are not sufficiently detailed. 3. Arranging the schedule and actual visits for diagnosis and treatment is complex. 4. The system for cooperation with the activities that are done in the hospital is insufficient. 5. The system for cooperation with local public health nurses is insufficient. 6. The system for managing equipment is insufficient. 7. The 24-hour support system for terminal patients is inadequate.

Community Health Nursing↗

Psychiatric episodes in general hospitals without psychiatric units.

Forty percent of inpatient psychiatric episodes are treated in general hospitals without psychiatric units, but little is known about these patients and their treatment. A survey of medical records personnel at 452 hospitals without psychiatric units revealed that the hospitals' psychiatric patients typically lived at home, were admitted through the emergency room because of a substance abuse disorder, received active medical treatment, were discharged back home after about four days, and paid with private insurance. The hospitals that treated primarily substance abusers provided a significantly different mix of treatments than did those that treated primarily patients with traditional diagnoses. The data suggest that general hospitals without psychiatric units may provide appropriate treatment for psychiatric patients, especially those with a substance abuse disorder.

Hospitals, General↗

Changes in stroke rehabilitation outcomes after the implementation of Japan's long-term care insurance system: a hospital-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes in stroke rehabilitation outcomes after the introduction of Japan's long-term care insurance (LTCI) system. DESIGN: Stroke patients discharged during a 3-yr period before and after the implementation of LTCI were compared (before-LTCI vs. after-LTCI). Outcome measures included onset to admission interval, length of stay, and correlation between discharge site and functional level at discharge. RESULTS: A total of 201 patients in the before-LTCI group and 252 patients in the after-LTCI group were eligible for the study. Shorter mean length of stay (P < 0.01) and higher rates of discharge to a rehabilitation facility (P < 0.01) were found in the after-LTCI group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the patients with higher activities of daily living scores or ambulatory status at discharge were more likely to be discharged to home after inpatient rehabilitation in both groups (P < 0.01). The rate of discharge to home was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Within this rehabilitation hospital's experience, the mean length of stay was reduced after the implementation of the LTCI. Although it was one of the primary goals of the LTCI, the rate of discharge to home did not significantly increase. Further evaluation and modification of the LTCI and more efforts to improve a patient's activities of daily living and ambulatory status at discharge will be necessary to promote in-home care in Japan.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Evidence-based health policy-making, hospital funding and health insurance.

An important goal of health services research is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health services through a quantitative and evidence-based approach. There are many limitations to the use of evidence in health policy-making, such as differences in what counts as evidence between the various disciplines involved, and a heavy reliance on theory in social science disciplines. Community and interest group values, ideological positions and political assessments inevitably intrude into government health policy-making. The importance of these factors is accentuated by the current absence of evidence on the impact of policy options for improving the health status of the community, and ensuring that efficiency and equity objectives for health services are also met. Analysis of recent hospital funding and private health insurance initiatives shows the limited role of evidence in the making of these decisions. Decision-making about health policy might be improved in the future by initiatives such as greater exposure of health professionals to educational inputs with a policy focus; increased contribution of doctors to health services research via special postgraduate programs; and establishing a national, multidisciplinary centre for health policy research and evaluation.

Academies and Institutes↗

Quality and cost-effective management of mental health care.

Corporations have reduced their mental health care benefits by limits on coverage for such services. We report on a comprehensive mental health care program, including prevention and early intervention, hospital utilization review, and consulting psychiatrist, which has improved the quality and has significantly reduced inpatient insurance psychiatric hospitalization costs. Mental health service coverage was actually enhanced. Inpatient psychiatric hospitalization costs 12 months before and after the implementation of a concurrent psychiatric hospital utilization review program were reviewed for a major corporation. Total hospital days and average length of stay decreased by 43% whereas total inpatient psychiatric hospital charges decreased by $309,518. Total inpatient days decreased by 1045. Quality and cost-effective comprehensive psychiatric health care services can be offered by major corporations providing that such benefits are carefully designed and managed.

Chicago↗