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Objective: To analyze the change in community first diagnosis and two-way referral rate under the condition of the regional longitudinal medical consortium implementation in the country at large. According to the simulation results,some suggestions for hierarchical medical system were put forward. Methods : The community first diagnosis and two-way referral rates were determined using the literature meta-analysis, and were simulated under different conditions by means of the system dynamics. Results :The analysis results confirmed that simply increasing the financial subsidies can increase the community first diagnosis rate within a range from 0.08％ to 0. 17％. For in case increases are made by the government in technical financial input to enhance the technical level of the community health service centers and in compensatory financial input to reduce the higher hospitals dependence on the light disease, results showed that the lower conversion rate increased within the range of 0.33％～0.45％ in terms of the two-way referral rating. On the contrary, when technical financial input is increased to improve the technical level of community health service centers, the rate of change was in the range of 7.52％ '- 12.61％ - Conclusions : Firstly, the diversified strategy should be used to promote the achievement of graded diagnosis and treatment. Secondly, the Health Commission plays a key role in the promotion of themedical consortiumconstruction. Thirdly, medical insurance reimbursement differential strategy should be implemented and the supply-side reform should be strengthened. At last,attention should be paid to the rational development of existing referrals, especially the upper and lower ones.
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Objective:To compare and analyze the choice and application of policy tools in the construction of hierarchical medical system in different provinces of china, and to provide advice for improving the effectiveness of the hierarchical medical policy implementation. Methods:Retrieve the policy documents of provincial governments on hierarchical medical policy through internet search;sort names and categories of policy tools based on the classifica-tion of policy tools by Rothwell&Zegveld after consulting the expert,and analyze the use of policy tools by calculating the frequency of different policy tools. Results:This study has summed up 15 types of policy tools in 3 categories in-cluding demand,supply,and environment of provincial hierarchical medical policy. Supply policy tools accounted for 32.92%,demand policy tools accounted for 20.58%, and environmental policy tools accounted for 46.50%. The most widely used policy tool is the regulatory control, and the least used policy tool is the disease catalog. Conclu-sions:Among the choice of policy tools,the category of environmental policy tools are the most widely used,and de-mand policy tools are applied the least. The use of three types of policy tools in the eastern region are balanced,the demand policy tools in Central China are relatively few, and the environmental policy tools are widely used in the western region,while the demand oriented policy tools are scarce.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Imaging-guided thermal ablation using different energy sources continues to gain favor as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of primary and metastatic hepatic malignant tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of microwave ablation with 2450-MHz internally cooled-shaft antenna in ex vivo and in vivo porcine livers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All studies were animal care and ethics committee approved. Microwave ablation was performed using a noncooled or cooled-shaft antenna in 23 ex vivo (92 ablations) and eight in vivo (36 ablations) porcine livers. Diameters of the coagulation zone were observed on gross specimens. The coagulation diameters achieved in different microwave ablation parameter groups were compared. Curve estimation analysis was performed to characterize the relationship between applied power and treatment duration and coagulation diameter (including short-axis and long-axis diameter).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Coagulation zones were elliptical and an arrowed-shaped carbonization zone around the shaft was observed in all groups. But the antenna track was also coagulated in the noncooled-shaft antenna groups. In ex vivo livers, the short-axis diameter correlated with the power output in a quadratic curve fashion (R(2) = 0.95) by fixing ablation duration to 10 minutes, and correlated with the ablation duration in a logarithmic curve fashion (R(2) = 0.98) by fixing power output to 80 W. The short-axis reached a relative plateau within 25 minutes. In in vivo livers, short-axis diameter correlated with the coagulation duration in a sigmoidal curve fashion (60 W group R(2) = 0.76, 80 W group R(2) = 0.87), with a relative plateau achieved within 10 minutes for power settings of 60 W and 80 W.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The internally cooled microwave antenna may be advantageous to minimize collateral damage. The short-axis diameter enlargement has a plateau by fixing power output.</p>
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Animals , Catheter Ablation , Liver , General Surgery , Microwaves , SwineABSTRACT
Objective: To explore a new evaluation method for hospital intangible assets through a case study on evaluation of hospital "Know-how". Methods: Using the contingent valuation method(CVM) we designed a questionnaire to survey the willingness of patients to pay for hospital "Know-how". The data was analyzed by econometrics methods and a model was established for evaluating the "Know-how" in hospitals. Results: Under three scenarios, the effect of "Know-how" increased gradually; the percentages of patients who were willing to pay were 58.48%, 65.50% and 98.54%, respectively. The mean maximal payments were 4,5,and 5 folds that of the basal level. The annual family income was the most important factors influencing the patients' willingness to pay. According to the model established,the value of the hospital "Know-how" was between 85.014 95 million to 252.229 million RMB in 2006. Conclusion: CVM may serve as a new method to evaluate hospital "Know-how" and should be further studied in the future.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>This study evaluated the clinical application of CT guided 125iodine implantation in patients with portal vein tumor thrombus in primary hepatocellular carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The ten patients (9 males and 1 female, aged from 36 to 72 years) with portal vein tumor thrombus accompanying hepatocellular carcinoma had been treated with comprehensive therapy including surgery, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, radiotherapy ablation, microwave ablation or percutaneous ethanol injection. The average diameter of each tumor thrombus was 21.5 mm x 30.5 mm. Seeds of 30 MBq 125I were implanted 5 mm apart within the portal vein tumor thrombus. The follow-up after 4 months included enhanced spiral CT.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CT screening of the tumours indicated that 4 out of 10 patients showed complete response to the therapy, 5 partial response and 1 stable disease. Adverse effects included aggravated abdominal dropsy and temporarily increased transaminase, which were controlled by medical management. Severe complications such as haemorrhage, biliary fistula, hepatic abscess, pancreatic fistula and hepatic function failure were not observed. Implanted seeds migrated to lung and left hepatic lobe in 1 case.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CT guided implantation of 125iodine seeds, can effectively treat portal vein tumor thrombus accompanying hepatocellular carcinoma with minimal damage and few complications.</p>