["Active health management" can provide support for vulnerable patients. New model for the prevention of unplanned healthcare]. / ¼Aktiv hälsostyrning« kan ge utsatta patienter stöd - Ny modell för prevention av oplanerad sjukvård.

A small group of frequent emergency department visitors account for a disproportionally large fraction of health care consumption, including unplanned hospitalizations and overall healthcare costs. In response, case and disease management programs aimed at reducing health care consumption in this group have been tested, however results vary widely. In this study, we aimed to investigate if a telephone-based, nurse led case management intervention can reduce health care consumption for frequent emergency department visitors in a large-scale set-up. A total of 12,181 frequent emergency department users in three counties in Sweden were randomized either using Zelen's design or a traditional randomized design to receive a nurse led case management intervention or no intervention. Patients were followed for health care consumption for up to 2 years. The results of the study with traditional design showed an overall 12% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4-19%) decreased rate of hospitalization, which was mostly driven by effects among patients included in the last year. Similar results were achieved in the Zelen studies, with significant reduction of hospitalization, again in the last year, but mixed results in the early development of the project. Our study provides evidence that a carefully designed telephone-based intervention with accurate and systematic patient selection and appropriate staff training in a centralized set-up can lead to significant decreases in health care consumption and costs. However, we also demonstrate that the effects are sensitive to the delivery model chosen.

A case management intervention targeted to reduce healthcare consumption for frequent Emergency Department visitors: results from an adaptive randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: A small group of frequent visitors to Emergency Departments accounts for a disproportionally large fraction of healthcare consumption including unplanned hospitalizations and overall healthcare costs. In response, several case and disease management programs aimed at reducing healthcare consumption in this group have been tested; however, results vary widely. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether a telephone-based, nurse-led case management intervention can reduce healthcare consumption for frequent Emergency Department visitors in a large-scale setup. METHODS: A total of 12 181 frequent Emergency Department users in three counties in Sweden were randomized using Zelen's design or a traditional randomized design to receive either a nurse-led case management intervention or no intervention, and were followed for healthcare consumption for up to 2 years. RESULTS: The traditional design showed an overall 12% (95% confidence interval 4-19%) decreased rate of hospitalization, which was mostly driven by effects in the last year. Similar results were achieved in the Zelen studies, with a significant reduction in hospitalization in the last year, but mixed results in the early development of the project. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence that a carefully designed telephone-based intervention with accurate and systematic patient selection and appropriate staff training in a centralized setup can lead to significant decreases in healthcare consumption and costs. Further, our results also show that the effects are sensitive to the delivery model chosen.

The medical exhibition seminar.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to develop, introduce and evaluate a new clinical interdisciplinary teaching and learning activity (TLA) using modern pedagogical principles. METHOD: All fourth-year students at the clinical course in basic surgery at Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge participated. Fifteen urological and 15 colorectal pictures were presented. All pictures had a correlating statement on a sheet. The assignment was to correlate each picture with the best possible statement. Peer as well as teacher discussions were permitted. A facilitated discussion about the pictures followed. Evaluation was performed by questionnaire. The final examination results of the course were analysed. RESULTS: Over 80 per cent of the medical students evaluated the seminar (n = 199). The general opinion of the TLA was 8.79 on a 10-point graded visual digital scale (1, bad; 10, excellent). The student self-assessed level of enjoyment and of the activity was 9.0 and 8.5, respectively. Nine out of 10 students rated the Medical Exhibition Seminar 'as good as' (24%) or 'better than' (64%) traditional lecturing, and 73 and 63 per cent, respectively, rated it 'as good as' or 'better than' case method teaching (case) and problem-based learning (PBL). The method did not change the final examination results. CONCLUSION: Medical Exhibition Seminar teaching is a learner-centred and problem-based teaching method that should be included in our pedagogical toolbox. It is designed to be an effective, efficient and modern pedagogical tool suitable for our modern health care system.

Function and dysfunction of the colon and anorectum in adults: working team report of the Swedish Motility Group (SMoG).

Symptoms of fecal incontinence and constipation are common in the general population. These can, however, be unreliably reported and are poorly discriminatory for underlying pathophysiology. Furthermore, both symptoms may coexist. In the elderly, fecal impaction always must be excluded. For patients with constipation, colon transit studies, anorectal manometry and defecography may help to identify patients with slow-transit constipation and/or pelvic floor dysfunction. The best documented medical treatments for constipation are the macrogols, lactulose and isphagula. Evolving drugs include lubiprostone, which enhances colonic secretion by activating chloride channels. Surgery is restricted for a highly selected group of patients with severe slow-transit constipation and for those with large rectoceles that demonstrably cause rectal evacuatory impairment. For patients with fecal incontinence that does not resolve on antidiarrheal treatment, functional and structural evaluation with anorectal manometry and endoanal ultrasound or magnetic resonance (MR) of the anal canal may help to guide management. Sacral nerve stimulation is a rapidly evolving alternative when other treatments such as biofeedback and direct sphincter repair have failed. Advances in understanding the pathophysiology as a guide to treatment of patients with constipation and fecal incontinence is a continuing important goal for translational research. The content of this article is a summary of presentations given by the authors at the Fourth Meeting of the Swedish Motility Group, held in Gothenburg in April 2007.

A 9-year follow-up study of participants and nonparticipants in sigmoidoscopy screening: importance of self-selection.

BACKGROUND: Self-selection may compromise cost-effectiveness of screening programs. We hypothesized that nonparticipants have generally higher morbidity and mortality than participants. METHODS: A Swedish population-based random sample of 1,986 subjects ages 59 to 61 years was invited to sigmoidoscopy screening and followed up for 9 years by means of multiple record linkages to health and population registers. Gender-adjusted cancer incidence rate ratio (IRR) and overall and disease group-specific and mortality rate ratio (MRR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated for nonparticipants relative to participants. Cancer and mortality rates were also estimated relative to the age-matched, gender-matched, and calendar period-matched Swedish population using standardized incidence ratios and standardized mortality ratios. RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent participated. The incidence of colorectal cancer (IRR, 2.2; 95% CI, 0.8-5.9), other gastrointestinal cancer (IRR, 2.7; 95% CI, 0.6-12.8), lung cancer (IRR, 2.2; 95% CI, 0.8-5.9), and smoking-related cancer overall (IRR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.7-2.5) tended to be increased among nonparticipants relative to participants. Standardized incidence ratios for most of the studied cancers tended to be >1.0 among nonparticipants and <1.0 among participants. Mortality from all causes (MRR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.7-3.4), neoplastic diseases (MRR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5), gastrointestinal cancer (MRR, 4.7; 95% CI, 1.1-20.7), and circulatory diseases (MRR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.2) was significantly higher among nonparticipants than among participants. Standardized mortality ratio for the studied outcomes tended to be increased among nonparticipants and was generally decreased among participants. CONCLUSION: Individuals who might benefit most from screening are overrepresented among nonparticipants. This self-selection may attenuate the cost-effectiveness of screening programs on a population level.

Toward understanding nonparticipation in sigmoidoscopy screening for colorectal cancer.

Understanding the reasons for nonparticipation in cancer screening may give clues about how to improve compliance. However, limited cooperation has hampered research on nonparticipant profiles. We took advantage of Sweden's comprehensive demographic and health care registers to investigate characteristics of all participants and nonparticipants in a pilot program for colorectal cancer screening with sigmoidoscopy. A population-based sample of 1986 Swedish residents 59-61 years old was invited. Registers provided information on each individual's gender, country of birth, marital status, education, income, hospital contacts, place of residence, distance to screening center and cancer within the family. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), modeled with multivariable logistic regression, estimated the independent associations between each background factor and the propensity for nonparticipation after control for the effects of other factors. All statistical tests were 2-sided. Being male (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.03-1.57, relative to female), unmarried or divorced (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.23-2.30 and OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.14-1.95, respectively, relative to married) and having an income in the lowest tertile (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.27-2.23, relative to highest tertile) was associated with increased nonparticipation. Living in the countryside or in small communities and having a documented family history of colorectal cancer was associated with better participation. Distance to the screening center did not significantly affect participation, nor did recent hospital care consumption or immigrant status. To increase compliance, invitations must appeal to men, unmarried or divorced people and people with low socioeconomic status.

[Laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Five-year experience at Huddinge University Hospital]. / Laparoskopisk kolorektal kirurgi. Fem års erfarenhet från huddinge universitetssjukhus.

By education of one to two surgeons at the time we limit the learning curve and reduce the complications. 250 patients have been operated for both benign and malignant colorectal diseases. The operation time is still longer than with the open technique. Conversion rate is 18 per cent, no mortality and few serious complications are seen. The blood loss is in mean 150 ml. With shorter time at the operation theatre through optimal education of the hole operation team, the costs for laparoscopic colorectal surgery will diminish. In the future with better laparoscopic technique, we believe there will be increased numbers of total colectomies and operations in the small pelvic.