OBJECTIVETo investigate the current situation of treatment for acute chemical poisoning in the emergency departments and occupational disease departments of some general hospitals and to provide a basis for improving the ability of general hospital to deal with acute chemical poisoning.

METHODSFour hospitals from Shandong Province, Beijing City, and Shanxi Province, China were selected in the study. They included two first-class hospitals located in the downtown, where the patients with acute chemical poisoning from urban and suburban areas were admitted to the occupational disease departments, and two second-class hospitals located in the suburban area or county, where the patients with acute chemical poisoning from the suburban area were admitted to the emergency departments. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 141 medical workers (51 persons in the emergence department group and 90 persons in the occupational disease department group) that were engaged in the treatment of acute chemical poisoning in the four hospitals; 1999 medical records were analyzed. Individual in-depth interviews, questionnaire investigation, and field observation were used to compare the emergency department group and occupational disease department group in terms of the ability to deal with acute chemical poisoning and the training on treatment for acute chemical poisoning.

RESULTSThe emergency department group had significantly higher proportion of pesticide poisoning cases than the occupational disease department group (P<0.01). Thirty-seven of the patients in occupational disease department group died, with a fatality rate of 2.7%, and 14 of the patients in emergence department group died,with a fatality rate of 2.2%, so there was no significant difference between the two groups in this regard (P>0.05). There were significantly more cases treated without emergency plan in the emergency department group than in the occupational disease department group ( 37.3% vs. 10.0%, P <0.0 1). The occupational disease department group had significantly higher score of knowledge about the treatment for acute chemical poisoning than the emergence department group (7.2±1.3 vs. 5.2±0.9, P<0.01 ). There were significantly lower proportions of medical staff who had received training on the knowledge about acute chemical poisoning and on the emergency disposal of acute chemical poisoning in the emergency department group than in the occupational disease department group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere is a lack of the knowledge about treatment for acute chemical poisoning and protective measures during treatment among the medical staff in general hospitals, and related training and emergency plan are needed.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; China ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Hospital Departments ; statistics & numerical data ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Male ; Poisoning ; therapy

There is increasing need for network connecting personal computers(PC) together. Thus Local Area Network(LAN) emerged, which was designed to allow multiple computers to access and share multiple files and programs and expensive peripheral devices and to communicate with each user. We built PC-LAN in our department that consisted of 1) hardware-9 sets of personal computers(IBM compatible 80386 DX, 1 set:80286 AT, 8sets) and cables and network interface cards (Ethernet compatible, 16bits) that connected PC and peripheral devices 2) software - network operating system and database management system. We managed this network for 6 months. The benefits of PC-LAN were 1) multiuser (share multiple files and programs, peripheral devices) 2) real time data processing 3) excellent expandibility and flexibility, compatibility, easy connectivity 4) single cable for networking ) rapid data transmission 6) simple and easy installation and management 7) using conventional PC's software running under DOS(Disk Operating System) without transformation 8) low networking cost. In conclusion, PC-LAN provides an easier and more effective way to manage multiuser database system needed at hospital departments instead of more expensive and complex network of minicomputer or mainframe.
Database Management Systems ; Hospital Departments ; Humans ; Microcomputers* ; Minicomputers ; Pliability ; Running

PURPOSE: This study was done to determine inpatient fall rates in an acute hospital setting and to explore risk factors and characteristics across clinical departments. METHODS: The medical records and standardized fall reports of 416 patients admitted between January 1 and December 31, 2012 were reviewed. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests were used, including: t-test, chi2-test, ANOVA. RESULTS: The total fall rate per 1,000 inpatient days was 0.49. Fall rate, fall risk factors and characteristics such as age, type of fallers and mean MFS (Morse Fall Scale) differed significantly among clinical departments. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis results show that the fall rates, fall risk factors and characteristics of acute hospital inpatient falls varied significantly across clinical departments. The findings of this study suggest that hospitals should consider differences in fall related characteristics across clinical departments when implementation fall prevention strategies and interventions.
Accidental Falls ; Hospital Departments ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Medical Records ; Risk Factors*

PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of treatment on electroencephalogram (EEG) findings, and determined treatment efficacy according to EEG findings and antiepileptic drugs in children and adolescents with recurrent headaches. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 131 patients, aged 5–18 years, with recurrent primary headaches and performed EEG study who visited the Chosun University Hospital Department of Pediatrics from January 2014 to December 2016. Headaches were classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders-III (ICHD-III, beta version), and EEGs were analyzed for changes after treatment for primary headache. RESULTS: Among 131 patients, we successfully collected completed all the data on 30 patients (18 boys, 12 girls). The frequency of abnormal EEG findings before treatment was not significantly different according to the type of primary headache (P= 0.390). The mean frequency (P=0.001), duration (P=0.002), and intensity of headaches (P < 0.001), and disability due to headache (P=0.003) were significantly decreased after treatment in patients with epileptiform discharges on EEG. The mean frequency and intensity of headaches and disability due to headache (P < 0.005) was also significantly decreased in the patients with both slow and normal EEG findings. The mean frequency (P=0.007), duration (P=0.01), and intensity (P < 0.001) of headaches, and disability due to headache (P=0.002) were significantly decreased after treatment with antiepileptic drugs in patients with epileptiform discharges. CONCLUSION: Abnormal EEG findings were no significant differences in terms of type of primary headaches. Our results suggest that antiepileptic drugs may alleviate headaches in patients with epileptiform discharges on EEG.
Adolescent* ; Anticonvulsants ; Child* ; Classification ; Electroencephalography* ; Headache* ; Hospital Departments ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Pediatrics ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Surgical process of oral and maxillofacial area as well as dental treatment are stressful situations to the patients. It is well known that serum level of stress hormones including adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) and cortisol increase when the body is exposed to stress. However, there have been few studies on demographic and clinical factors related with stress. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to supply data to cope with stress more comprehensively and efficiently by analyzing the effect of factors related with stress in addition to surgical procedure. Prospective cohort study method was selected. Serum levels of ACTH and cortisol were measured by sampling bloods pre-operatively and post-operatively from 45 patients who had been operated at the Bundang Jesaeng Hospital department of oral and maxillofacial surgery. To evaluate factors associated with stress, patients were classified according to gender, age, method of payment(insurance or self), experiences of operation, kind of operations(expected operations or unexpected operations). Relative risk was calculated to assess relationships between changes of serum level of ACTH and cortisol and factors related with stress, whereas Chi-square analysis was executed to evaluate statistical significance. With regard to serum level of ACTH, relative risk was 1.3 in the group of the patients who were less than 40 years old. With regard to serum level of cortisol, relative risk was 1.8 for women compared with men, 1.4 in the group of the patients who were less than 40 years old and 1.6 in the group of the patients who had not experienced any other operations. In addition to surgical procedure, factors related with stress included gender, age, method of payments, experiences of operation and kind of operations. Therefore, we should provide comprehensive schemes to reduce stress of the patients going through oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Adult ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Hospital Departments ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Surgery, Oral*

Chronic wounds are a major healthcare problem costing billions of dollars a year over the world. However, it is regrettable that a large number of chronic wounds are still treated simply by conventional dressing change in local clinics, lacking of definite diagnosis and personalized care. This situation results in a low wound healing rate, unsatisfied life quality of the patients, and higher medical cost for the prolonged promiscuous care. We should not only emphasize the importance of wound care in clinical practice, but also emphasize the importance of establishing wound care centers. With the experience of our practice in wound care center, the construction of wound care technology platform is strongly suggested. This platform could act as an education base to train more professional wound care doctors, nurses, and care workers, as well as resolve many technical difficulties involved in the treatment of many complicated chronic wounds.
Hospital Departments ; organization & administration ; Humans ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Technology ; Wound Healing

INTRODUCTION: The operating room (OR) is one of the most cost-intensive units of any health care facility. Hence, OR effeciency has become a priority of many institutions. Delays in the OR lead to poor cost effectiveness and cause frustration both to patients and to OR staff.
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the efficiency of the Philippine General Hospital Department of Surgery elective non-cardiac surgery operating room services using established parameters and identify causes of delays.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of randomly selected elective cases from October 2011 to January 2012. A framework of elements in the OR process and timing milestones were defined. These times were recorded during the OR process. Mean and median observed times for these elements were calculated and compared with target times based on previous research. Causes of delay were recorded.
RESULTS: Once anesthesia was started, target times for most parameters were met in the majority of cases. Delays were most notable between patient entry to the OR complex and start of anesthesia, particularly for first cases. Only 3.9% of cases started at or before the scheduled time; 49.7% of cases started more than one hour late. 54.3% of late starts were caused by surgeons not being in the OR complex on time. Errors in estimating case duration were commonplace: more than one third of cases took more than an hour longer or shorter than estimated. While the mean delay in start for first cases was nearly one hour, the mean delay for second and third cases was nearly two hours.
CONCLUSION: The majority of cases start late. The most common cause of delay is the surgeon's tardiness. Considerable discrepancy between the predicted and actual case duration was also observed.

Human ; Operating Rooms ; Cost-benefit Analysis ; Frustration ; Anesthesiology ; Anesthesia ; Efficiency ; Surgeons ; Hospital Departments

PURPOSE: There are several ways of treating for right colon diverticulitis, based on its complications or location. The kind of operation emplolyed with cecal diverticulitis is still controversial, due to its similar symptoms to those of acute appendicitis, and is usually diagnosed during an appendectomy. This study is an analysis of 65 patients, which we experienced over the past 10 year, with right colon diverticulitis. METHODS: The hospital records of 65 patients with right colon diverticulitis, between January 1991 and January 2001, from the Catholic University School of Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital department of surgery were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed the clinical data and outcomes, according to three different types of operation. RESULTS: The male to female ratio of the patients was 1.4:1, with a mean age of 36.8, ranging from 14 to 81 years. The most common manifestation was abdominal pain and tenderness (100%). Of the 65 cases, 53 underwent a diverticulectomy and an appendectomy, 5 a right hemicolectomy or an ileocecetomy and 7 an appendectomy only. The most common location of the diverticulum was cecum (62 cases), and the majority were single diverticulum (62 cases). There were complications in 4 cases (6.1%) following the operation, but their symptoms were mild. The complication rates in the diverticulectomy and appendectomy and appendectomy only groups were 5.6 and 14.2% respectively. However, there were no significant differences in the complication rates among 3 groups. There was no recurrence in the group with a right hemicolectomy or ileocecectomy, or in the group with a diverticulectomy and an appendectomy. The recurrences in the appendectomy only group were significantly higher than the groups, with 3 (42.8%) out of 7 cases (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: We suggest that an operation may be the primary safe treatment of right colon diverticulitis and that a diverticulectomy and an appendectomy may be reasonable operative methods that decrease the recurrence and morbidity of right colon diverticulitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Cecum ; Colon* ; Diverticulitis* ; Diverticulum ; Female ; Hospital Departments ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Organizational changes that involve healthcare hospital departments and care services of health districts, and ongoing technological innovations and developments in society increasingly expose healthcare workers (HCWs) to work-related stress (WRS). Minimizing occupational exposure to stress requires effective risk stress assessment and management programs. METHODS: The authors conducted an integrated analysis of stress sentinel indicators, an integrated analysis of objective stress factors of occupational context and content areas, and an integrated analysis between nurses and physicians of hospital departments and care services of health districts in accordance with a multidimensional validated tool developed in Italy by the National Network for the Prevention of Work-Related Psychosocial Disorders. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to detect and analyze in different work settings the level of WRS resulting from organizational changes implemented by hospital healthcare departments and care services of health districts in a sample of their employees. RESULTS: The findings of the study showed that hospital HCWs seemed to incur a medium level risk of WRS that was principally the result of work context factors. The implementation of improvement interventions focused on team development, safety training programs, and adopting an ethics code for HCWs, and it effectively and significantly reduced the level of WRS risk in the workplace. CONCLUSION: In this study HCW resulted to be exposed to occupational stress factors susceptible to reduction. Stress management programs aimed to improve work context factors associated with occupational stress are required to minimize the impact of WRS on workers.
Codes of Ethics ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Education ; Hospital Departments ; Inventions ; Italy* ; Observational Study ; Occupational Exposure ; Organizational Innovation ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the success rate of intentionally replanted mandibular second molar with C-shaped canal configurations and to access the impact of preoperative periapical lesion on the success of intentional replantation procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective chart review study evaluated 52 intentionally replanted mandibular second molar teeth treated at Seoul National University Dental Hospital Department of Conservative Dentistry from January 2005 to December 2007. Seventeen teeth were lost for the follow-up, and another 6 teeth did not meet inclusion criteria of C-shaped root canal configurations. Healing outcome such as success, uncertain healing, and failure after follow-up was evaluated by clinical criteria and radiographs. RESULTS: The overall success rate was 72.4% for the 29 intentionally replanted C-shaped mandibular second molars. The success rate of replanted teeth with preoperative periapical lesions was similar to that of replanted teeth which have no periapical lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, root canal treatment failure on C-shaped mandibular second molar can be predictably treated by intentional replantation regardless of the presence of periapical lesion.
Dental Pulp Cavity ; Dentistry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospital Departments ; Intention ; Molar ; Replantation ; Retrospective Studies ; Tooth ; Treatment Failure