[Objective] This study examined the effect of press tack needle (PTN) treatment onshoulder stiffness.
[Method] A total of 53 volunteers with shoulder stiffness were randomly divided into 2 groups, the press tack needlegroup and placebo (P) group. The points stimulated by PTN or P were a maximum of 4 tender points around the shoulder treated for 3 days. Evaluation of the effect was based on the consciousness of shoulder stiffness and visual analog scale (VAS) estimating the grade of the shoulder stiffness. The evaluations were done in prior to treatment (Pr), immediately after treatment (Post 1), and 3 days after treatment (Post 2).
[Result] As a result, the number of the volunteers reporting awareness of stiff shoulder after 3 days decreased to 12 of28 persons in the PTN group, 23 of 25 in the P group. There was a significant difference between the 2 groups (p<0.01). The VAS value decreased in the PTN group from 52.5±20.7 (Pr) to 40.5±22.4 (Post1), to 342±19.7 (Post2), while in the P group from 55.2±17.5 (Pr) to 46.5±19.7 (Post1) to 45.9±21.7 (Post2). There were significant differences between Pr and Post1 (p<0.05), and between Pr and Post2 (p<0.01) in PTN group.
[Conclusion] It was suggested that PTN stimulation on the tender points improved shoulder stiffness.

We established the Technical Aids Support Office in our hospital to promote the introduction of and technical advice about assistive technology so as to enhance the quality of care and the functioning of patients and ensure staff safety. In this paper, we introduce two complicated cases that needed individual support. Case 1: A patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The amount of assistance required had gradually increased, but the patient still hoped to use a portable toilet. Because he could barely stand up, the height of the toilet needed adjustment. An elevated seat decreased the amount of assistance required. However, raising the bottom of the portable toilet turned out to be a challenge. Case 2: Multiple limb amputee. The patient and the caregiver experienced pain and distress during transfer between bed and chair. We tried using a lift assist device, but it the hardness of the sling worsened pain at the stump. A cushion with a sliding seat was then placed between the sling and the patient to reduce friction. The shape and hardness of cushion is a future challenge to solve. Timely individual support at each stage in their care for individual patients is indispensable for the provision of technical aid support.

Objective: Continuous medication management is demanded from community pharmacists, including mandatory follow-ups (FUs) during the medication period. To improve their efficiency and quality, a software application (app) is being introduced. We investigated the use of the app for FUs by comparing it to the use of phone calls.Design: This was a retrospective studythat collected FU records from participating pharmacies.Methods: FU records of an automated question-and-answer post-dispensing app and phone calls made at 10 pharmacies in June-July 2021 were collected. Differences in the work time and contents of each FU tool were evaluated.Results: Of the 138 eligible cases, 69 (50.0%) used the app and 62 (44.93%) used phones. There was 1 case of FU interruption using the app and 12 for those using phone calls. Preparation time to initiate FU was shorter using the app than phone calls (0.28 ± 0.96 min vs. 5.06 ± 5.44 min). Moreover, there were more cases of pharmaceutical problems identified using the app than phone calls (69.57% vs. 35.48%).Conclusion: The FU app maybe a more efficient tool for identifying problems than phone calls. Further studies are needed to optimize the tool according to patient characteristics.