Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of the Loving-Kindness and Mindfulness Meditation (LKM) therapy in improving mood states of hematologic malignancy patients in a sterile isolation room. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, with the POMS2 Japanese version used to assess mood state improvement. Methods: The final number of participants in this study was nine (intervention group n=4, control group n=5). Patients in a sterile isolation room were provided with a tablet containing a video of the LKM. The intervention group watched the 20-minute video. POMS2 factor scores were measured before the intervention and again one and two weeks after the intervention. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the scores across time points. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for each factors; however, a trend of nonlinear change was observed in the Vigor-Apathy (VA) factor(p=0.054). Conclusion: In this pilot study, LKM did not show a significant effect on the mood state of patients, which is suggested to be due to the insufficient number of cases. It seems necessary to increase the number of subjects in future research.

Objective: In this practical study, mindfulness-based “Loving-Kindness and Mindfulness Meditation” was carried out for breast cancer patients. Methods: 60-minute meditation sessions were carried out every two weeks for a total of four sessions. At Month 1 and in the period up to Month 3 after intervention, changes in quality of life (QOL) were assessed using SF-36 v2 for a total of five times. Participants were taught to practice meditation at home, and their daily meditation experiences were written down as records. Results: Participants were divided into two groups, with two subjects in the intervention group and one subject in the non-intervention group. RCS based on SF-36 v2 were in the intervention group, and could be maintained or improved even one month after completion of intervention compared to before intervention. The records were divided into “Introduction phase” (for meditation in the first intervention); “Acquisition phase” (in and after the second); “Stable phase” (in and after the third); and “Establishment phase” (in and after the fourth). Correspondence analysis was performed for the fourth term by Text Mining. Conclusion: During early intervention at the “Introduction phase,” intentional concentration on what is occurring is carried out. As meditations continue, a change in the sense of self-consciousness, which cannot be experienced in daily life, is thought to occur.

At Anjo Kosei Hospital, all staff has been working concertedly on a project to establish a community hospital in line with our future vision. Hospital staff in charge of the Medical Affairs Division has been involved in measures aimed at achieving the slogan “health and happiness of local residents” as part of this project. To address this, three goals were set as follows: improvement of recoveries in accounts receivable management, a reduction of money held in trust, and a decrease in the number of outsourced transactions. To achieve the goals described above, the following specific measure were carried out: (1) collection of accounts receivable using convenience store settlement; (2) collection of high-cost medical expenses by wider use of Eligibility Certificates for Ceiling-Amount Applications and promotion of the Major Medical Cost Loan System for national health insurance holders; and (3) support in acquiring family registration for nonregistered family members and for health insurance benefits. Recoveries of accounts receivable through convenience store settlement was about 90,000 yen/month, and our support activities for family registration and health insurance benefits provided the recoveries of about 80,000 yen/month. Furthermore, the promoted use of the certificate and loan system resulted in recoveries of about 17 million yen/year. The average commission fee and number of outsourcing was 890,188 yen and 12 cases, respectively, from April to August 2016. However, in 2017, it was 305,615 yen and 10 cases, respectively. Our project aimed at achieving slogan-elicited patient voluntary payment of medical expenses, leading to improved recoveries, with reduced money held in trust and fewer outsourced transactions.

  Recently, the number of outpatients who visit the hospital only for the examination is increased in Ofuna Chuo hospital.  It is important that the pharmacists manage the contrast media used to these outpatients for the rational drug therapy.  However, there are a few hospitals where the pharmacists work in the laboratory.  Therefore, we investigated the effect of the providing drug information by pharmacists to the patients received magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the laboratory.  The subjects were consisted of 38 patients who were taken with Bothdel®Oral Solution 10 during receiving MRCP.  The pharmacist instructed the patients about Bothdel®Oral Solution 10 before MRCP.  The percentage of patients who were already treated with the other drugs was 92.0%.  The 4 patients were taken the drugs interacted with Bothdel®Oral Solution 10 and then were able to prevent the drug interaction by the pharmacist.  Also, the patients were taken the questionnaire form about the adverse events of this drug and sent it to the pharmacy by mail after more than 5 days.  As the results, the gastrointestinal symptoms such as a loose stool and a diarrhea were reported 28.5% of the patients.  In addition, as the adverse events other than listed in the package insert, epigastric distress, heaviness of the head and hot flash, were shown in each of a patient, respectively.  In conclusion, it was very important that the pharmacists provide the information of rational use of contrast media to the patients who received examination.