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This paper presents the synthesis of fluorescein-modified hydrogel materials. The obtained materials were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy. Then, their sorption capacity in distilled water and Ringer’s liquid was determined. Using digital microscopy, the morphology of the obtained systems was characterized.

The aim of this work was the synthesis of functional hydrogel materials obtained via photopolymerization. The resulting systems were characterized in terms of chemical structure using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Subsequently, their sorption capacity and surface morphology were determined along with roughness analysis. The resulting materials have been modified with fluorescein dye and can be used in many branches of industry and medicine, for example, in innovative diagnostic systems.

BACKGROUND:We explored understanding and experiences of health advocacy among psychiatry and family medicine residents and faculty and the implications for clinical care and teaching through the lens of relationship-centred care. METHODS:This qualitative study was conducted in the psychiatry and family medicine departments at a large urban university. We interviewed 19 faculty members and conducted two focus groups with 18 residents. Semi-structured questions explored the relational meaning of health advocacy, how residents and faculty learned about the role and ethical considerations involved in incorporating advocacy work into clinical practice within a relationship-centred care framework. RESULTS:Four themes emerged from the interviews and focus groups: 1) health advocacy as an extension of the relationship to self; 2) health advocacy and professional boundaries in the physician-patient relationship; 3) health advocacy within a team-based approach; and 4) health advocacy and the physician-community/organization relationship. Participants described implications for practice of the challenges of health advocacy, including perceived institutional risks, professional boundaries and the appropriation of patient voice. CONCLUSIONS:Our study provides insights into the relational complexities of the health advocate role in residency curriculum and clinical practice. All participants described health advocacy as a broad spectrum of actions that are guided by relationships among patients, health care professionals and communities. Our analysis revealed that some challenges that participants identified with a health advocacy role could be addressed by anchoring the role within a specific theoretical framework. This would better enable us to create a culture of advocacy in the training and development of physicians.

Abstract Background To determine the effectiveness of a single checklist reminder form to improve the delivery of preventive health services at adult health check-ups in a family practice setting. Methods A prospective cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted at four urban family practice clinics among 38 primary care physicians affiliated with the University of Toronto. Preventive Care Checklist Forms© were created to be used by family physicians at adult health check-ups over a five-month period. The sex-specific forms incorporate evidence-based recommendations on preventive health services and documentation space for routine procedures such as physical examination. The forms were used in two intervention clinics and two control clinics. Rates and relative risks (RR) of the performance of 13 preventive health maneuvers at baseline and post-intervention and the percentage of up-to-date preventive health services delivered per patient were compared between the two groups. Results Randomly-selected charts were reviewed at baseline (n = 509) and post-intervention (n = 608). Baseline rates for provision of preventive health services ranged from 3% (fecal occult blood testing) to 93% (blood pressure measurement), similar to other settings. The percentage of up-to-date preventive health services delivered per patient at the end of the intervention was 48.9% in the control group and 71.7% in the intervention group. This is an overall 22.8% absolute increase (p = 0.0001), and 46.6% relative increase in the delivery of preventive health services per patient in the intervention group compared to controls. Eight of thirteen preventive health services showed a statistically significant change (p < 0.05) in favor of the intervention (adjusted RR (95% C.I.)): counseling on brushing/flossing teeth (9.2 (4.3–19.6)), folic acid counseling (7.5 (2.7–20.8)), fecal occult blood testing (6.7 (1.9–24.1)), smoking cessation counseling (3.9 (2.2–7.2)), tetanus immunization (3.0 (1.7–5.2)), history of alcohol intake (1.33 (1.2–1.5)), history of smoking habits (1.28 (1.2–1.4)) and blood pressure measurement (1.05 (1.00–1.10)). Conclusion This simple, low cost, clinically relevant intervention improves the delivery of preventive health services by prompting physicians of evidence-based recommendations in a checklist format that incorporates existing practice patterns. Periodic updates of the Preventive Care Checklist Forms© will allow a feasible and easy-to-use tool for primary care physicians to provide evidence-based preventive health services to adults at routine health check-ups. The forms can also be incorporated into an electronic health record. The Preventive Care Checklist Forms© are accessible in English and French at the College of Family Physicians of Canada web site.

Introduction: Doctor-patient communication is a complex process where verbal and nonverbal interactions happen simultaneously. We systematically evaluated and compared these behaviors in geriatric clinical visits with depressed and non-depressed elderly patients using communication accommodation theory (CAT). Method: A cross-sectional analysis of doctor-patient interactions during 43 videotaped primary care geriatric sessions was conducted. Twenty-one of the patients had symptoms of depression, while 22 were not depressed. These sessions originated from a subset of 70 videos from the National Institute on Aging and were obtained for the purpose of studying doctor-patient communication. Results: Our study showed that for nonverbal communication, non-depressed elderly patients had longer eye gaze at the doctor than the group of depressed patients. Doctors gazed at the chart longer while seeing depressed versus non-depressed patients. For verbal communication, treatment discussion in seconds was significantly different between depressed elderly patients (420.30 s) and non-depressed elderly patients (468.58 s). The average duration in seconds of patient talking, doctor talking, symptom discussion, and silence time, were different between the two populations. Discussion: Elderly patients with depression have different communication patterns with providers than patients without depression. Different communication strategies need to be implemented to better accommodate these patients' different needs and expectations during their clinic visits. Our findings provide practical implications for facilitating better patient-centered care by educating healthcare providers about communication accommodation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem Being Addressed: Medication prescribing is becoming increasingly complex, and the need for formal curricula in pharmacotherapeutics and medication prescribing in accredited family medicine residency programs has been advocated.Objective Of Program: The main objective of the pharmacotherapeutic curriculum is to support the development of family medicine residents' pharmacotherapeutic knowledge and medication prescribing skills required for rational prescribing.Program Description: The curriculum has 4 main components: 1) a medication prescribing framework based on the main tasks and key decisions related to the prescribing of medications, 2) 12 pharmacotherapeutic topics identified in the needs assessment, 3) a 5-step process for session design used by the curriculum development team, and 4) a description of specific roles of facilitators involved in delivering the curriculum. Formative evaluation of the curriculum using resident focus groups has helped to inform the further development of its components.Conclusion: A formalized curriculum was created to build knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics and effective medication prescribing skills, which are necessary for the current complex environment of patient care and medication management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the campaign to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Canada. Guidelines have been published for the prevention and management of CVD. The identification and monitoring for CVD risk factors is recommended for men after age 40 and for women after age 50. The estimates of the risk for developing coronary artery disease can be calculated. An individualized primary care management strategy can be created.

Corrections to several articles are presented that appeared in various issues of the journal including "Telehomecare for patients with multiple chronic illnesses: Pilot study," "Labour pains," and "Complete health checkup for adults: Update on the Preventive Care Checklist Form."