Verifying the impact of corporate governance on hospital performance on HIV and malaria control: A structural equation modelling approach.

BACKGROUND: The research aims to study the impact of corporate governance on hospital performance regarding HIV and malaria control, using the Ghana health industry as a case. The nation is making frantic effort to control HIV and malaria, since they continue to be among the deadliest diseases that attract holistic attention; hence, there is the need to put structures in place to curb the spread. METHODS: A total of 1005 precoded questionnaires were administered to 125 hospitals, for responses from staff, managers, board, and chief executive officers (CEOs). The collated data were analysed using structural equation modelling approach. RESULTS: Our research revealed that corporate governance has a positive effect on hospital performance, regarding the control of the two deadly diseases (HIV and malaria). The interventions in Ghana health delivery have brought a level of improvement in malaria control, since the disease mortality has significantly declined from 19% in 2010 to 4% in 2016. Through the implementation of systems and policies, the national HIV prevalence has admirably reduced from 2.9% in 2000 to 1.6% in 2017. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals are therefore encouraged to continue to implement effective corporate governance mechanisms to facilitate efficient, well-organised, and prudent practices that can deliver more institutional performance in HIV and malaria control.

Serum thymidine kinase 1 and soluble NKG2D ligand predict prognosis of colorectal cancer patients after operation / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective To investigate the values of serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) and soluble NKG2D (natural killer cell group 2D) ligand (soluble major histocompatibility complex class Ⅰ-related chain A,sMICA) in predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients undergoing radical resection.Methods 45 patients and 45 healthy subjects were included.Perioperative serum TK1 and NKG2D ligand levels were measured in 45 patient and 45 healthy controls.Patients were divided into high TK1 group and low TK1 group,and high sMICA group and low sMICA group according to the ROC.Results Perioperative TK1 were (4.42 ± 1.42) and (2.98 ± 0.54) pmol/L,sMICA were (135 ± 79) and (100 ± 81)pg/ml,which were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (P =0.000).The postoperative TKI and sMICA levels decreased significandy (P =0.000 and 0.042).The 3 and 5 years cumulative survival rates in the high TK1 group were 84％ and 34％,compared with that of 90％ and 75％in the low TK1 group (P =0.023).The 3 year and 5 year cumulative survival rates in high sMICA group were 61％ and 31％,compared with 71％ and 52％ in low sMICA group (P =0.148).Conclusion Patients serum thymidine kinase levels were negatively corelated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer after radical resection.