Health care organizational uses of information technology.

Let's say that, by having read the many inspiring articles on medical informatics in this issue of Physician Executive, you are now ready to move ahead with some serious applications of information systems in your organization. Or, you were already a believer in the usefulness of information technology (IT), and are wondering how to proceed. What types of systems should your organization be looking at to acquire or build? How should you get to there from here? Perhaps you'll find what you're looking for in what follows--an initial roadmap through organizational "IT Land."

A comprehensive framework for I/S strategic planning.

Too often hospital information services departments fail to create a strategic plan or make, at best, a half-hearted attempt at it. And many times, sincere efforts are waylaid by poor preparation or inadequate communication with users and management. By applying a systematic planning methodology, however, many pitfalls can be avoided.

Information systems support for healthcare quality: Part II.

In the second and final part of his series of quality management, healthcare information systems consultant Peter Spitzer, M.D., describes how I/S can support quality healthcare services by improving the care-delivery process and by providing the data needed for quality support, monitoring and management.

Information systems support for healthcare quality: a comprehensive framework.

Although management concepts for delivering quality products and services have been employed extensively in other industries, their inroads into healthcare have been comparatively slight. In the first of a two-part series, healthcare information systems consultant Peter Spitzer, M.D., sets forth a framework for defining high-quality healthcare delivery, and he tells how information systems can be put to work to achieve this goal.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and the diagnostic utility of antibody to Epstein-Barr virus early antigen.

Antibody to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) early antigen has been said to be the most specific indicator of symptomatic chronic EBV infection. We studied the clinical utility of this serologic test in the evaluation of patients with chronic fatigue. Thirty patients with chronic fatigue and highly elevated titers of antibody to early antigen (greater than or equal to 1:160) were compared with 30 age- and sex-matched controls with no antibody to early antigen. There were no significant differences noted between patients and controls at the initial evaluation (symptoms, physical examination, laboratory data). Follow-up information, available for 15 matched pairs, showed no differences in outcome between patients and controls. We conclude that the antibody to EBV early antigen is not helpful in the clinical evaluation of patients with chronic fatigue.

Synergistic activity between vancomycin or teicoplanin and gentamicin or tobramycin against pathogenic diphtheroids.

The in vitro activities of vancomycin and teicoplanin alone and in combination with gentamicin or tobramycin were studied by time-kill techniques with 11 strains of pathogenic diphtheroids (Corynebacterium group JK). The activities of vancomycin and teicoplanin were similar (MIC for 90% of strains tested [MIC90], 1 microgram/ml), as were those of gentamicin and tobramycin (the MIC90 was 1 microgram/ml for five aminoglycoside-susceptible strains, and the MIC90 was greater than 1,024 micrograms/ml for six aminoglycoside-resistant strains). No consistent synergistic killing could be demonstrated by the combination of glycopeptide and aminoglycoside antibiotics at arbitrarily chosen concentrations within the range of clinically achievable levels. However, by careful adjustment of both vancomycin and gentamicin concentrations within a narrow range below the MIC of each antibiotic, synergistic killing could be seen with an aminoglycoside-susceptible strain but not with an aminoglycoside-resistant strain. Synergism between glycopeptide and aminoglycoside antibiotics occurs with some diphtheroid organisms, but it may not be clinically relevant.

Comparative in vitro activity of the new cyclic lipopeptide LY146032 against Corynebacterium species.

Agar dilution and time-kill techniques were used to assess the in vitro activity of LY146032 and several other antibacterial agents against Corynebacterium spp. The activity of LY146032 was similar to that of vancomycin and teicoplanin. Synergistic killing by a combination of LY146032 and gentamicin could be demonstrated under certain carefully controlled conditions.

In vitro and in vivo activity of LY 146032, a new cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic.

The in vitro activity of LY 146032, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic belonging to the class of agents designated A21978C, was compared with those of vancomycin, cefpirome, cefotaxime, and clindamycin against selected gram-positive bacteria. The new drug inhibited all staphylococcal isolates, including methicillin-resistant strains, at concentrations of less than or equal to 1.0 microgram/ml. The activity of LY 146032 was comparable to that of vancomycin against most streptococci, but the latter demonstrated greater potency against Streptococcus faecium and penicillin-resistant strains of pneumococci and viridans group streptococci. LY 146032 was markedly less active than vancomycin against Listeria monocytogenes (MICs for 90% of strains tested, 16 and 1.0 microgram/ml, respectively). The activity of LY 146032 was enhanced as the concentration of calcium in the test medium was increased. MBCs were within eightfold of the MIC for each of 12 strains tested. In a rat model of enterococcal endocarditis, the administration of LY 146032 resulted in increased survival and a reduction in the bacterial titer within cardiac vegetations compared with untreated control animals.

Treatment of Listeria monocytogenes infection with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: case report and review of the literature.

A 55-year-old female recipient of an orthotopic liver transplant, who was receiving azathioprine, prednisone and cyclosporin, developed bacteremia due to Listeria monocytogenes. Because of a penicillin allergy, the patient was treated primarIly with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, to which she responded well. The prior literature on use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in listeria infections is reviewed, and future recommendations are considered. On the basis of the experience described in this case report as well as a review of the literature, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole appears to be an effective treatment of listeria infections.