Characterization of patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis who received care in different highly complex emergency services of Medellín, Colombia

Introduction. Cirrhosis is one of the ten leading causes of death in the Western hemisphere and entails a significant cost of health care. Objective. To describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients older than 18 years who received care for acute decompensation of cirrhosis in the emergency services of three highly complex centers in Medellín, Colombia. Materials and methods. This was an observational retrospective cohort study from clinical records. The results were analyzed by frequency measures and represented in tables and graphics. Results. In total, 576 clinical records met the inclusion criteria; 287 were included for analysis, and 58.9% were men, with an average age of 64 (± 13.5) years. The most frequent causes of cirrhosis were alcohol intake (47.7%), cryptogenic or unspecified etiology (29.6%), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (9.1%). The main reasons for visiting the emergency department were the presence of edema and/or ascites (34.1%), suspicion of gastrointestinal bleeding (26.5%), abdominal pain (14.3%) and altered mental status (13.9%). The most frequent clinical manifestations of an acute decompensation of cirrhosis were ascites (45.6%), variceal hemorrhage (25.4%), hepatic encephalopathy (23.0%), and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (5.2%). During their treatment, 56.1% of the patients received intravenous antibiotics; 24.0%, human albumin; 24.0%, vasoactive support, and 27.5%, blood products; 21.3% required management in an intensive or intermediate care unit, registering 53 deceased patients for a mortality of 18.5%. Conclusion. Patients who consult the emergency services due to acute decompensation of cirrhosis demand a high amount of health resources, frequently present associated complications, and a high percentage requires management in critical care units and shows a high in-hospital mortality rate.

Introducción. La cirrosis hace parte de las diez primeras causas de muerte en el hemisferio occidental y acarrea un importante costo en salud. Objetivo. Describir las características sociodemográficas, clínicas y de laboratorio, de los pacientes mayores de 18 años que recibieron atención por descompensación aguda de la cirrosis en los servicios de urgencias de tres centros de alta complejidad en Medellín, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se trata de un estudio observacional de cohorte. Los resultados se analizaron mediante medidas de frecuencia, y se representaron en tablas y gráficas. Resultados. En total, en 576 registros clínicos se cumplieron los criterios de inclusión; se incluyeron 287 para el análisis. El 58,9 % fueron hombres, con edad promedio de 64 (± 13,5) años. Las causas más frecuentes de cirrosis fueron: ingestión de alcohol (47,7 %), criptogénica o inespecífica (29,6 %) y enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico (9,1 %). Los principales motivos de consulta fueron: presencia de edemas, ascitis o ambas (34,1 %), sospecha de hemorragia digestiva (26,5 %), dolor abdominal (14,3 %) y alteración del estado mental (13,9 %). Los diagnósticos de complicación aguda más frecuentes fueron ascitis (45,6 %), hemorragia digestiva por várices esofágicas (25,4 %), encefalopatía hepática (23,0 %) y peritonitis bacteriana espontánea (5,2 %). El 56,1 % de los pacientes recibió antibióticos; el 24,0 %, albúmina humana; el 24,0 % medicamentos, y el 27,5 % hemoderivados. En el 21,3 % de los casos, se requirió hospitalización en la unidad de cuidados intensivos o en la de cuidados intermedios. Se registraron 53 decesos, para una mortalidad del 18,5 %. Conclusiones. Los pacientes que consultan a los servicios de urgencias por una descompensación aguda de la cirrosis demandan una gran cantidad de recursos, frecuentemente presentan complicaciones asociadas, requieren manejo en unidades de cuidado crítico y evidencian una alta tasa de mortalidad.

Recursos para prevenção de lesões por pressão: estudo metodológico para elaboração e validação de escala* / Resources for preventing pressure injuries: methodological study to develop and validate a scale* / Recursos para prevenir las lesiones por presión: estudio metodológico para elaboración y validación de escala*

RESUMO: Objetivo: elaborar e validar uma escala para avaliação dos recursos humanos e materiais na perspectiva da prevenção de lesões por pressão nas enfermarias de clínica médica e cirúrgica. Método: estudo metodológico conduzido em três etapas: revisão integrativa; elaboração; e validação mediante técnica Delphi, contando com oito enfermeiros especialistas em dermatologia de diferentes estados do Brasil, no período de novembro de 2018 a janeiro de 2019. Estes avaliaram 32 itens, referentes aos recursos humanos e materiais, nos cenários de pacientes de cuidado intermediário e alta dependência. Para validação, utilizou-se o índice de validade de conteúdo mínimo de 0,80. Resultados: no cenário de cuidado intermediário, todos os itens atingiram 0,77 na primeira fase, e 0,93 na segunda fase. No de alta dependência, atingiram 0,74 na primeira fase, e 0,84 na segunda fase. Conclusão: a escala permitirá avaliação do diagnóstico situacional das enfermarias na perspectiva da prevenção de lesão por pressão.

ABSTRACT Objective: To develop and validate a scale for evaluating human and material resources from the perspective of preventing pressure injuries in medical and surgical wards. Method: Methodological study was conducted in three stages: integrative review, elaboration, and validation using the Delphi technique, with eight nurses specializing in dermatology from different states in Brazil from November 2018 to January 2019. They assessed 32 items relating to human and material resources in intermediate care and high-dependency patients. A minimum content validity index of 0.80 was used for validation. Results: In the intermediate care scenario, all items reached 0.77 in the first phase and 0.93 in the second phase. In high dependency, they reached 0.74 in the first phase and 0.84 in the second phase. Conclusion: The scale will allow the assessment of the situational diagnosis of the wards from the perspective of pressure injury prevention.

RESUMEN Objetivo: desarrollar y validar una escala para evaluar los recursos humanos y materiales desde la perspectiva de la prevención de las lesiones por presión en las salas médicas y quirúrgicas. Método: estudio metodológico realizado en tres etapas: revisión integradora; elaboración; y validación mediante la técnica Delphi, con ocho enfermeros especializadas en dermatología de diferentes estados de Brasil, de noviembre de 2018 a enero de 2019. Estos evaluaron 32 ítems relativos a los recursos humanos y materiales en los escenarios de pacientes de cuidado intermedio y de alta dependencia. Para la validación se utilizó un índice de validez de contenido mínimo de 0,80. Resultados: En el escenario de cuidados intermedios, todos los ítems alcanzaron 0,77 en la primera fase y 0,93 en la segunda. En la alta dependencia, alcanzaron 0,74 en la primera fase y 0,84 en la segunda. Conclusión: La escala permitirá evaluar el diagnóstico situacional de las salas desde la perspectiva de la prevención de las lesiones por presión.

Provisão de recursos de saúde nas regiões intermediárias do Brasil, 2018 / Provision of health resources in the intermediate regions of Brazil, 2018

Resumo Introdução: A pandemia de COVID-19 exigiu a ampliação da capacidade dos serviços de saúde nos estados e municípios do Brasil. Este estudo analisou a distribuição geográfica da provisão de recursos de saúde no país no período que antecede essa crise sanitária. Objetivo: Descrever a provisão de recursos de saúde segundo o índice de desenvolvimento humano (IDH) das 133 regiões geográficas intermediárias do Brasil, em 2018. Método: Dados sobre cobertura populacional da Estratégia Saúde da Família, número de consultas ambulatoriais e hospitalizações, investimento público em saúde, leitos hospitalares, leitos mantidos pelo SUS, leitos de UTI e leitos de UTI mantidos pelo SUS foram obtidos junto ao Ministério da Saúde e IBGE. A associação das variáveis com o IDH das regiões intermediárias foi avaliada pela correlação de Pearson. Resultados: A provisão de recursos de saúde foi mais elevada nas regiões intermediárias do Sul e Sudeste, enquanto as regiões do Centro-Oeste tiveram valores intermediários. O IDH correlacionou positivamente com os recursos em saúde. O inverso ocorreu para a cobertura da Estratégia Saúde da Família, que foi maior nas regiões Norte e Nordeste. Conclusões: Monitorar geograficamente a provisão de recursos de saúde pode instruir estratégias para reduzir desigualdades no país. Em 2018, as regiões intermediárias estavam desigualmente preparadas para atender às necessidades em saúde de suas populações e refletiam a lei do cuidado inverso. Foi este o cenário de partida para a resposta à pandemia por COVID-19 em 2020.

Abstract Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic required expanding the health services capacity in Brazilian states and municipalities. This study analyzed the geographic distribution of the health resources provision in the country in the period before the pandemic. Objective: This study aimed to describe the availability of health resources in the 133 intermediate geographic regions of Brazil in 2018 according to the human development index (HDI). Method: Data on population coverage of the family health strategy, number of outpatient consults and hospitalizations, public investment in health, total number of hospital beds, beds maintained by SUS, intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and ICU beds maintained by SUS were obtained from the Ministry of Health and IBGE. the association of variables with the HDI of the intermediate regions was assessed using Pearson's correlation. Results: The indices of health resources had higher average values for the South and Southeast regions, whereas the Central West ranked intermediate values. The HDI correlated positively with health resources. The coverage by family health strategy had an inverse distribution and was higher in the North and Northeast regions. Conclusions: Monitoring the health system at the intermediate region level can be a useful strategy to promote access and reduce health inequalities in Brazil. In 2018, the intermediate regions were unevenly prepared to meet their populations' health needs and reflected the inverse care law. This scenario was the starting point for the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Equity analysis and policy suggestions for medical and health resource allocation in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo analyze the equity of medical and health resource allocation in 12 cities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and to provide policy suggestions for further optimizing the allocation of medical and health resources. MethodsBased on two dimensions of geography and population， a comprehensive evaluation of the equity of medical and health resource allocation was conducted using location entropy， health resource density index （HRDI）， entropy-weighted TOPSIS method， and GIS spatial analysis. ResultsLocation entropy showed that the allocation of medical resources in each league city exceeded or approached 1 in the population dimension， but less than 1 in the geography dimension. HRDI revealed that the number of health institutions in Tongliao City was 8.3 times that of Alxa League； the number of beds， health technical personnel， practicing （assistant） physicians， and registered nurses in Wuhai City was 20.3 times， 18.2 times， 15.2 times， and 22.7 times that of Alxa League. The entropy-weighted TOPSIS method showed that the top three weighted indicators were registered nurses （24.14%）， health technical personnel （22.63%）， and practicing （assistant） physicians （21.13%）. Allocation of medical resources in Hulunbuir City， Xilinguole League， and Alashan League was significantly inequitable； GIS spatial analysis showed that the equity of medical resource allocation exhibited a decreasing distribution pattern from the central region to the western and eastern regions. ConclusionThere is a significant disparity in the equity of medical and health resource allocation among various leagues and cities， with resource allocation in the population dimension being better than in the geographical dimension. Allocation of medical and health human resources should be strengthened.

Research on the allocation efficiency of primary medical and health institutions in China based on data envelopment analysis / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To analyze the input and output status of health resources in primary medical and health institutions and their allocation efficiency in different regions of China, and to provide an empirical basis for optimizing the allocation of primary medical and health resources in China among regions.Methods:The input index data (number of beds and number of health personnel) and output index data (number of primary medical and health institutions visits, number of family health services, number of hospital admissions) of primary medical and health institutions in China in 2020 were extracted from the China Health Statistical Yearbook 2021. Based on the BCC ( Banker, Charnes, Cooper) model of data envelopment analysis ( DEA), the Bootstrap- DEA method was used to correct bias, the allocation efficiency of primary medical and health resources in 31 provinces was calculated and the regional differences were analyzed. Results:After bias correction, the technical efficiency (TE) of resource allocation in primary medical and health institutions decreased by 0.102. The average TE score of all 31 primary medical and health institutions was 0.669, indicating a serious problem of ineffective use of technology. The TE of the eastern, central and western regions was 0.694, 0.663, and 0.649 respectively. There was obvious polarization in the central regions.Further analysis of the efficiency improvement of non DEA efficient provinces showed that 2 DEA weakly efficient provinces and 16 DEA ineffective provinces had several reference provinces for efficiency configuration improvement; The provinces that have been referenced more than 10 times were Zhejiang, Chongqing, Sichuan, and Ningxia, while the provinces that were listed as the first reference by other provinces were Ningxia, Chongqing, Zhejiang, and Tibet.Conclusions:The resource allocation efficiency of primary medical and health institutions in China is relatively low, and regional differences are obvious. The balance between different inputs and outputs should be considered when allocating the resources. Non DEA effective provinces can use DEA analysis to find the most suitable reference object and make reference improvements in the short term.

Resultados del sistema de puntuación del Concurso Nacional de Ingreso a los Servicios de Salud entre 2016 y 2020

Background: Medical specialists are an essential resource for the functioning of the health system and in Chile there is a growing deficit of these specialists. To address this shortage, the government has strategies for training health professionals, such as a national public contest for medical scholarships, named CONISS, which stands out for its high capacity to produce medical specialists. The scoring system of this contest is used for the allocation of training resources to the best candidates. Aim: To describe the results of the CONISS scoring system between 2016 and 2020. Material and Methods: Analysis of public registries of physicians participating in the CONISS contest between 2016 and 2020. Results: During the study period 7,373 physicians participated in this contest (49% females). Annual participation increased progressively. The participants graduated from 21 Chilean universities and a variable number from foreign universities. The scores obtained by participants improved by 1.47 points between the first and last year of the study period. Conclusions: Interpretation of these results is complicated by the characteristics and limitations of the measurements of the CONISS scoring system. This precludes establishing whether this system effectively filters out the best candidates for medical specialization programs.

Desigualdad en mortalidad estratificada según la densidad del recurso humano en 32 países americanos / Inequality in mortality stratified according to human resource density in 32 American countries

RESUMEN Objetivos Medir desigualdades en salud mediante 12 indicadores de mortalidad, utilizando la densidad de recurso humano de profesionales de medicina (PMED) y enfermería (PENF) como estratificador de equidad en 32 países americanos. Métodos A partir de 12 indicadores de mortalidad, estratificados mediante densidad de PMED y PENF, se calculan tasas ponderadas, diferencias, correlación, indicadores simples y complejos de desigualdad. Resultados De 12 indicadores, 9 presentan mayor tasa en baja densidad de ambas profesiones y 7 presentan diferencias significativas. Hay alta variabilidad en brechas relativas (8,7 a 1,2); concentración desigual con afectación de grupos vulnerables; y mayor índice de la pendiente en mortalidad: materna, enfermedades transmisibles y diabetes. Conclusiones La densidad del recurso humano presenta alta variabilidad y concentración, con razón heterogénea entre ambas profesiones. Al estratificar países de baja a alta densidad, se evidencian desigualdades y gradiente social en 9 de 12 indicadores.

ABSTRACT Objectives Measure health inequalities through 12 mortality indicators, using the human resource density of medical professionals (pmed) and nursing (penf), as a stratifier of equity in 32 american countries. Methods From 12 mortality indicators, stratified by density of pmed and penf, weighted rates, differences, correlation, simple and complex inequality indicators are calculated. Results Of 12 indicators, 9 show a higher rate in low density of both professions; 7 show significant differences. there is high variability in relative gaps (8.7 to 1.2); unequal concentration affecting vulnerable groups; and higher index of the slope in mortality: maternal, communicable diseases and diabetes. Conclusions The density of human resources shows high variability and concentration, with a heterogeneous ratio between both professions. When stratifying countries from Low to High density, inequalities and social gradient are evident in 9 of 12 indicators.

Status quo and insights in building national regional medical centers from the perspective of resources integration / 中华医院管理杂志

The constrution of national regional medical centers has been included in the 14th Five-Year Plan. As a major project to build a high-quality and efficient medical health service system in China, it is imperative to expand such high quality medical resources and balance their regional distribution. The authors analyzed the dual resources integration attributes of regional medical centers—horizontal expansion and vertical extension—from the perspective of medical resources integration, and by means of literature methodology and content analysis methods. With both two work paths and progresses led by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Health Care Commission, the authors identified setbacks in the construction of such medical centers in terms of building a synergy system, optimizing the cooperation modes, and enhancing the awareness of the entity bodies. On such basis, the authors suggested that government departments should hold on to the leadership in general, while in the construction process, output hospitals and input hospitals should respectively take their entity responsibilities in both operation management and cooperation.

Research on the equity and spatial accessibility of oral medical resources in Wuhan / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To analyze the equity of the allocation of oral medical resources and the accessibility of health service capabilities in Wuhan. Methods The equity of oral medical resources was calculated with Gini coefficient and Theil index, accessibility was assessed by two-step floating catchment area model, and the spatial autocorrelation was used to study the high-low clustering of accessibility. Results The Gini coefficient of oral medical resources based on population level was around 0.3, and the Gini coefficient of oral medical resources based on geographic area was greater than 0.6. Theil index calculation results were similar. In terms of overall accessibility, the area with poor accessibility was 2,428 square kilometers, reaching 28.38% of the total area, while the area with better accessibility accounted for 14.18%. Conclusion The allocation of oral medical care resources based on population distribution was fairer and better than that based on geographic area. Moreover, the geographical accessibility varies greatly between regions, showing the characteristics of high-high cluster and low-low cluster.

Health expenditures and causa mortis: an investigation on municipalities of the State of Paraná, Brazil / Gastos com saúde e causa mortis: uma investigação dos municípios do Estado do Paraná, Brasil / Gastos en salud y causa mortis: una investigación para los municipios del Estado de Paraná, Brasil

The Brazilian government shares the responsibility of financing public health among federal, state, and municipal levels. Health expenditures are thus uneven across the country and cannot contribute equally to health outcomes across disease categories. This study aims to identify how the health expenditures of municipalities affect the mortality rate in the state of Paraná by causa mortis. We considered years of life lost for each municipality, the chapters of the International Classification of Diseases (10th revision), and the elasticity of this measure in relation to public health expenditure. Considering the possibility of endogeneity, this study follows the instrumental variable approach in a panel of generalized method of moments - instrumental variable (GMM-IV) with fixed effects. Our results show that a 1% increase in health expenditure could decrease the average number of years lost specifically for some causes from 0.176% to 1.56% at the municipal level. These findings could elucidate policy perspective within state finance.

O financiamento da saúde pública é uma responsabilidade compartilhada entre as três esferas governamentais brasileiras, i.e., a federal, estadual e municipal. Logo, gastos divergem pelo território e não se poderia esperar que contribuíssem de forma homogênea para os desfechos de saúde em todos os tipos de doença. Este artigo busca identificar como gastos municipais afetam a taxa de mortalidade no Estado do Paraná dado sua causa mortis. Consideramos anos de vida perdidos para cada município, os capítulos da Classificação Internacional de Doenças (10ª revisão) e estimamos a elasticidade dessa medida em relação aos gastos públicos em saúde. Considerando uma possível endogeneidade, este artigo segue a abordagem variável instrumental em um painel de método generalizado de momentos (GMM-IV) com efeitos fixos. Nossos resultados mostram que um aumento de 1% nos gastos municipais com saúde pode diminuir o número médio de anos perdidos entre 0,176% e 1,56% para algumas causas especificas de mortalidade. Nosso estudo pode lançar alguma luz sobre a perspectiva política das finanças dos estados.

La financiación de la salud pública es una responsabilidad compartida entre las tres esferas del gobierno brasileño, a nivel federal, estatal y municipal. En este sentido, los gastos son desiguales en el territorio, y no se puede esperar que contribuyan de forma homogénea a los resultados de salud en las distintas categorías de enfermedades. La función de este trabajo es identificar cómo los gastos de los municipios afectan a la tasa de mortalidad en el Estado de Paraná, por causa mortis. Se consideraron los años de vida perdidos para cada municipio, los capítulos de la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades (10ª revisión), y se estimó la elasticidad de esta medida en relación con el gasto sanitario público. Teniendo en cuenta la posibilidad de endogeneidad, este trabajo sigue el enfoque de variables instrumentales en un panel de los método generalizado de momentos (GMM-IV) con efectos fijos. Nuestros resultados muestran que un aumento del 1% en el gasto sanitario puede disminuir el número medio de años perdidos específicamente por algunas causas del 0,176% al 1,56%, a nivel municipal. Esto puede arrojar algo de luz sobre la perspectiva política dentro de las finanzas de los estados.

Social determinants of health and community assets: Their importance for context analysis / Determinantes sociales de la salud y activos comunitarios: importancia para el análisis de contexto

ABSTRACT Public health, from alternative perspectives on the approach to positive health, seeks to overcome the deficit in recognizing the resources possessed by people and their communities as proposed in the Salutogenesis assets model. Therefore, this paper aims to establish the relationship between the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and community assets. A two-stage sequential transformative mixed methods design, quantitative and qualitative, was used. Family files, mapping techniques, interviews, and participant observation were used as instruments. Older adults, women, and leaders have a history that creates opportunities based on education, work, and potential, developed individually or by coexistence between the same families and in the neighborhood. The SDH and community assets converge in the understanding of the territory as a social, historical, and eco-environmental space. There, the macro-policies are reflected, sometimes isolated from people's perceived, conceived, and lived spaces. In the construction of a healthy life, the main elements are people and their relationships. It is in this context that their talents, skills, and abilities are discovered. The results show a bilateral relationship between community assets and the SDH to understand the health-disease process. While the determinants focus on external conditions, risk, and vulnerability, depending on the disease, the assets do so in a positive health perspective that strengthens the resources of people and their communities. In this sense, they complement each other.

RESUMEN La salud pública, desde miradas alternativas con acercamiento a la salud positiva, busca superar el déficit para reconocer los recursos que tienen las personas y sus comunidades, a partir de la Salutogénesis - Modelo de activos. Así, pues, el escrito establece la relación de los determinantes sociales de la salud (DSS) y los activos comunitarios. Se utilizó un diseño mixto transformativo recurrente con dos fases: cuantitativa y cualitativa. Como instrumentos, las fichas familiares, técnicas cartográficas, la entrevista y la observación participante. Los adultos mayores, mujeres y líderes poseen una historia que crea oportunidades basadas en la educación, el trabajo y sus potencialidades, desarrolladas individualmente o por la convivencia entre las mismas familias y el barrio. Los DSS y los activos comunitarios convergen en la comprensión del territorio, como un espacio social, histórico y ecoambiental. Allí, se reflejan las macro políticas, en ocasiones aisladas de los espacios percibidos, concebidos y vividos de las personas. En la construcción de una vida sana, los principales elementos son las personas y sus relaciones; en ese contexto, se descubren sus talentos, las habilidades y las capacidades. Los resultados evidenciaron relación bilateral entre los activos comunitarios y los DSS, para comprender el proceso salud-enfermedad; mientras los determinantes se centran en condiciones externas, de riesgo y de vulnerabilidad en función de la enfermedad, los activos lo hacen en una mirada de salud positiva, que fortalece los recursos de las personas y sus comunidades. En este sentido, se complementan de manera recíproca.

Costos directos asumidos por pacientes y gastos de bolsillo en ACV isquémico durante el primer año / Direct cost assumed by patients and out-of-pocket expenses of acute ischemic stroke

RESUMEN Objetivo Describir los CD y GB en pacientes con ACV isquémico en Colombia. Materiales y Métodos Se recolectó información de 67 pacientes con diagnóstico de ACV isquémico agudo que ingresaron por el servicio de urgencias o fueron remitidos a dos instituciones de tercer nivel de complejidad durante el año 2017. Se realizaron entrevistas donde se evaluaron CD y GB durante la hospitalización y un año posterior. Resultados 74 % realizaron algún gasto durante la hospitalización, con un costo promedio de 1 619 USD en los pacientes con Rankin-m de 2 o menos. Por otra parte, 56,7% efectuó un gasto posterior al alta, con un costo entre 444 y 5 909 USD por paciente. Conclusión El ACV es una enfermedad de gran impacto tanto en los pacientes, debido a la discapacidad residual, como en las familias, por su alto costo. Los CD y GB en ACV son elevados, lo que podría significar un gasto catastrófico, potencialmente empobrecedor, y representan una barrera para acceder a los servicios. Es importante investigar el gasto catastrófico en pacientes con ACV y abrir el debate sobre financiación de servicios no incluidos en el PBS en poblaciones de escasos recursos.

ABSTRACT Objectives To describe the direct cost and out-of-pocket expenses that stroke survivors face in Colombia. Materials and Methods We collected data from 67 stroke patients, who came to the emergency department or were referred to two institutions during 2017. We applied a questionnaire on which we asked about direct cost and out-of-pocket expenses at the moment of hospitalization and one year after the stroke. Results 74% of patients made payments during hospitalization, the average cost for Ran-kin score 0 to 2 or less was $1,619. On the other hand, 56,7% of patients made payments after hospital discharge, the average cost for patients was between $444 and $5,909. Conclusion Stroke is a disease with a great impact on patients because of their disability and families because of its high cost. Direct cost and out-of-pocket expenses in stroke are high which can mean a catastrophic expenditure even leading to an impoverishing expenditure and a barrier to patients and families. We consider necessary to investigate the catastrophic costs in this population and open up the debate to finance goods excluded from health insurance plans in low-income families.

El criterio del azar vs. la ponderación en la asignación de recursos sanitarios escasos ante emergencias sanitarias / Chance vs. weighting criteria in allocating scarce health resources to health emergencies / O critério da casualidade versus a ponderação na atribuição de recursos sanitários escassos diante de emergências sanitárias

Resumen Cuando suceden eventos como una pandemia, en donde hay que velar por la salud de toda una población, el enfoque se centra en la salud pública. Aunque existen varios criterios con los cuales se pueden tomar estas decisiones, conviene profundizar más sobre la ponderación que va más allá de la simple consideración de factores a primera vista visibles. Se propone la ponderación como mecanismo en lugar del azar ya que, dada la unidad sustancial de la persona y su intrínseca dignidad, su destino no puede quedar sujeto a nada menos que la aplicación del juicio inteligible propio de la razón humana.

Abstract When events such as a pandemic occur, and the entire population's health must be ensured, the focus is on public health. Despite several criteria for decision-making, it is advisable to delve into the weighting beyond the mere consideration of plainly visible factors. We propose weighting as a mechanism instead of chance since, given the person's substantial unity and intrinsic dignity, their destiny cannot be subject to anything less than the exercise of intelligible judgment inherent to human reason.

Resumo Quando ocorrem eventos como uma pandemia, em que se é necessário garantir a saúde de toda uma população, o foco centra-se na saúde pública. Ainda que existam vários critérios com os quais se podem tomar essas decisões, convém aprofundar mais sobre a ponderação que vai além da simples consideração de fatores à primeira vista visíveis. Propõe-se a ponderação como mecanismo em vez da casualidade já que, dada a unidade substancial da pessoa e sua intrínseca dignidade, seu destino não pode ficar sujeito a nada menos que a aplicação do julgamento inteligível próprio da razão humana.

Analysis of the health status, health-related behaviors and health needs of the elderly in China / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To investigate the health status, health-related behaviors and health needs of elderlies in eastern, central and western China and to understand their health experience, for exploring an efficient medical service model, and optimizing allocation of medical resources.Methods:This study used the 2008-2018 database from Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey organized by Peking University. It described the concentration trend of medical distance by median, compared the health status, health-related behaviors and health needs of the elderly in eastern, central and western China by χ2 tests, and analyzed time-distribution trends of the poor health status, negative health behaviors and health needs by linear relation test. Results:Among 49 611 subjects included in the study, 7 881 of them self-evaluated their health status as poor, 19 445 evaluated their recent health status as deteriorated, while 14 954 lack routine physical examination, 35 141 lack physical exercise, 8 178 smoked, 7 859 drunk, 35 814 had no access to health education services in their communities, 35 676 expressed their health education needs, and 2 637 lack adequate medical services. The difference of distribution of health status, health-related behaviors and health needs of the elderly in eastern, central and western China was statistically significant ( P<0.05). The health status, negative health behaviors and health needs of the elderly in 2008-2018 presented a linear time distribution trend( P<0.05), while the overall medical distance in eastern, central and western China was 1.02 km, 1.00 km and 1.56 km respectively, and the medical distance in the rural area further than that in the urban areas. Conclusions:The health status of the elderly in China needed to be further improved, the proportion of negative health behaviors was high, and the health needs of the elderly in central and western China were large. Promoting an active medical service mode in central and western China, strengthening the interactions between medical institutions and residential communities will contribute to health needs fulfillment and medical resource utilization.

Impact of intensive care unit admission during handover on mortality: propensity matched cohort study / Impacto na mortalidade da admissão de pacientes em unidade de terapia intensiva durante a passagem de plantão: estudo de coorte utilizando escore de propensão

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the impact of intensive care unit admission during medical handover on mortality. Methods: Post-hoc analysis of data extracted from a prior study aimed at addressing the impacts of intensive care unit readmission on clinical outcomes. This retrospective, single-center, propensity-matched cohort study was conducted in a 41-bed general open-model intensive care unit. Patients were assigned to one of two cohorts according to time of intensive care unit admission: Handover Group (intensive care unit admission between 6:30 am and 7:30 am or 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm) or Control Group (intensive care unit admission between 7:31 am and 6:29 pm or 7:31 pm and 6:29 am). Patients in the Handover Group were propensity-matched to patients in the Control Group at a 1:2 ratio. Results: A total of 6,650 adult patients were admitted to the intensive care unit between June 1st 2013 and May 31st 2015. Following exclusion of non-eligible participants, 5,779 patients (389; 6.7% and 5,390; 93.3%, Handover and Control Group) were deemed eligible for propensity score matching. Of these, 1,166 were successfully matched (389; 33.4% and 777; 66.6%, Handover and Control Group). Following propensity-score matching, intensive care unit admission during handover was not associated with increased risk of intensive care unit (OR: 1.40; 95%CI: 0.92-2.11; p=0.113) or in-hospital (OR: 1.23; 95%CI: 0.85-1.75; p=0.265) mortality. Conclusion: Intensive care unit admission during medical handover did not affect in-hospital mortality in this propensity-matched, single-center cohort study.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto na mortalidade da admissão em unidade de terapia intensiva durante passagem de plantão médico. Métodos: Análise post-hoc de estudo original publicado previamente, com o objetivo de avaliar os impactos da readmissão em unidade de terapia intensiva nos desfechos clínicos. Este estudo de coorte retrospectivo, em centro único, com pareamento por escore de propensão, foi conduzido em uma unidade de terapia intensiva geral, aberta, com 41 leitos. Com base no tempo de internação na unidade de terapia intensiva, os pacientes foram categorizados em duas coortes: Grupo Passagem de Plantão (admissão entre 6h30 e 7h30 ou 18h30 e 19h30) ou Grupo Controle (internação entre 7h31 e 18h29 ou 19h31 e 6h29). Pacientes no Grupo Passagem de Plantão foram pareados com Grupo Controle na proporção de 1:2. Resultados: Entre 1° de junho de 2013 e 31 de maio de 2015, 6.650 pacientes adultos foram admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva. Após a exclusão de participantes inelegíveis, 5.779 pacientes (389; 6,7% no Grupo de Admissão na Passagem de Plantão e 5.390; 93,3% no Grupo de Controle) foram elegíveis para pareamento por escore de propensão, dos quais 1.166 foram pareados com sucesso (389; 33,4% no Grupo Passagem de Plantão e 777; 66,6% no Grupo Controle). Após pareamento, admissão na unidade de terapia intensiva durante a passagem plantão não foi associada ao aumento da chance de óbito na unidade de terapia intensiva (RC: 1,40; IC95%: 0,92-2,11; p=0,113) ou no hospital (RC: 1,23; IC95%: 0,85-1,75; p=0,265). Conclusão: Internação em unidade de terapia intensiva durante passagem de plantão médico não impactou na mortalidade hospitalar.

Patient absenteeism in outpatient consultations: an integrative literature review / O absenteísmo dos pacientes em consultas ambulatoriais: revisão integrativa da literatura / O absenteísmo dos pacientes em consultas ambulatoriais: revisão integrativa da literatura / El absentismo de los pacientes en citas médicas ambulatorias: revisión integrativa de la literatura

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify and analyze the production of knowledge in national and international literature on patient absenteeism in scheduled medical consultations. Method: This is an integrative literature review in the databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, LILACS, Virtual Health Library of the São Paulo State Department of Health and Spanish Bibliographic Index in Health Sciences, accessed through the Virtual Health Library Portal, based on the guiding question. Results: A total of 767 articles was found and nine were selected. Forgetfulness predominated among the reasons for absence. Other findings regarding the cost to the health service and strategies for solving the problem are highlighted. Conclusion: As the focus of the studies, the concern with the quality of care, increased treatment queues and high demand, as well as the cost of absent patients, are evident. Despite the relevance of the theme for the health services organization, the literature is still scarce.

RESUMEN Objetivo: identificar y analizar la producción de conocimiento en la literatura nacional e internacional sobre el absentismo de los pacientes en las citas médicas programadas. Método: Revisión Integrativa de la literatura en las bases de datos PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, LILACS, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de la Secretaría de la Salud de la provincia de São Paulo e Índice Bibliográfico Español en Ciencias de la Salud, accedidas por la Portada de la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud, basada en la cuestión norteadora. Resultados: Fueron encontrados 767 artículos y seleccionados nueve. El olvido predominó entre los motivos de ausencia. Otros hallazgos en relación al costo para el servicio de salud y estrategias para resolución del problema son destacados. Conclusión: Se evidencian, como enfoque de los estudios, la preocupación con la calidad del atendimiento, aumento de las colas y alta demanda, además del costo de los pacientes ausentes. A pesar de la relevancia del tema para organización de los servicios de salud, la literatura todavía es escasa.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar e analisar a produção de conhecimento na literatura nacional e internacional sobre o absenteísmo dos pacientes nas consultas médicas agendadas. Método: Revisão Integrativa da literatura nas bases de dados PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, LILACS, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde da Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo e Índice Bibliográfico Espanhol em Ciências da Saúde, acessadas pelo Portal da Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde, com base na questão norteadora. Resultados: Foram encontrados 767 artigos e selecionados nove. O esquecimento predominou entre os motivos de ausência. Outros achados em relação ao custo para o serviço de saúde e estratégias para resolução do problema são apontados. Conclusão: Evidenciam-se, como focos dos estudos, a preocupação com a qualidade do atendimento, aumento das filas e alta demanda, bem como o custo dos pacientes ausentes. Apesar da relevância do tema para organização dos serviços de saúde, a literatura ainda é escassa.

Allocation of village-level health resources in Huairou District of Beijing from the perspective of health geography / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To analyze the physical geography and social and economic geography of Huairou District, Beijing, from the perspective of health geography and based on the science of health policy, and study the implementation effects and existing problems of village-level health resource allocation policy based on household registration system and population number, then put forward relevant countermeasures.Methods:From December 2020 to May 2021, 14 rural townships in Huairou district of Beijing were investigated on the basis of literature review, on the basis of information saturation, through typical case analysis, semi-structured interview and other methods. According to the distribution of physical geography and social economic geography, 15 administrative villages of 3 townships were selected to carry out field observation and in-depth interviews with key insiders on the basic information of village clinics and rural doctors, basic medical and health services, management system and operation mechanism.Results:The characteristics of geographical environment, population change and population density of village-level health institutions in Huairou district made the current situation of village-level health resources allocation highlight the current situation of insufficient policy coordination and supervision, and showed the reality of unbalanced distribution of village-level health institutions. There was a big gap between the geographical distribution of villager health institutions and the allocation of health human resources and the health needs of villagers, and the current situation was worrying. The lack of analysis of health geographical factors in the policy formulation and implementation was an important factor.Conclusions:To realize village-level health allocation, it is necessary to fully consider health geographic factors, break institutional boundaries through policy coordination and differentiation, and gradually optimize village-level health resource allocation starting from optimizing the layout of village-level health institutions.

Research on the mode of rural village-level health resource allocation under the concept of regional integration / 中华医院管理杂志

The in-depth advancement of the new era reforms such as new urbanization and rural revitalization strategies has transformed the characteristics and resource structure of rural villages. The traditional village health resources allocation models based on administrative divisions needed to evolve and achieve fair allocation and higher efficiency, and better meet the needs of rural primary health services. The authors sorted out the current status of village health resources allocation models. Based on such concepts as regional integration, and such key elements as demographics, population, health needs and information technology, the authors proposed the village-level health resources allocation model and selection strategy, under the three regional integration theories of township-village integration, village-area integration, and village leadership assistance. Their efforts aim at providing new perspectives for better protection and promotion of health of rural residents.

Robotic cardiac surgery in Colombia: overcoming the challenges of a middle-income setting

Abstract In developing countries, limited resources and low health budgets result in slow developments in the field of cardiac surgery. As a consequence, advances in surgery become a challenging process. In Colombia, most institutions do not have the capacity or infrastructure for minimally invasive and video-assisted cardiac surgery, let alone robotic assisted cardiac surgery (RACS). Despite the challenges, efforts to overcome these hurdles are critical for the future of cardiac surgery in low-income settings. Here we describe the first cases of robotic cardiac surgeries performed in Colombia.