Vol 127 No 1390; 07 Mar 2014

Issue Summary

SUMMARY

Using triggers in primary care patient records to flag increased adverse event risk and measure patient safety at clinic level

This paper looked at how much harm occurs in general practice and developed a tool, called a Trigger Tool, which could assist primary care in measuring harm. According to the findings harm occurs in about 7% of consultations, although it possibly could be higher, and is predominately due to side effects of medication. The tool that was developed identifies warnings events (triggers) that general practice teams can investigate to see if harm has occurred. The tool is very good at picking up the majority of harm that occurs in general practice and not as good at excluding events in which harm did not occur.

SUMMARY

Sex workers’ utilisation of health services in a decriminalised environment

Gillian Abel

Sex work was decriminalised in New Zealand in 2003. Prior to this, most sex workers reported having regular sexual health check-ups and most attended their general practitioner for this, followed by a local Sexual Health Clinic and then New Zealand Prostitutes Collectives (NZPC) weekly sexual health clinic. There has been little change since decriminalisation. Most sex workers do not disclose their occupation to health workers because of perceptions of the stigma attached to their occupation. This has implications for the thoroughness of the check-up. It would seem that encouraging attendance at the NZPC clinic would be beneficial as then disclosure would not be an issue. However, these clinics are not available outside of Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland and are only run on a once a week basis in Christchurch and Auckland and twice a week in Wellington

SUMMARY

Outcomes in HrHPV-positive women with low grade cervical smears and normal or low grade initial colposcopy results

Erica Winsley, Dushyant Maharaj, Peter Abels, Diane Kenwright, Fali Langdana

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in New Zealand. HPV infection is a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer. For a woman with cervical smear abnormality and a high-risk type HPV (HrHPV) test, management must balance the need to identify and treat abnormalities likely to progress to cancer and avoid unnecessary treatment related to transient HPV infection. Women 30 years and older who are HrHPV-positive and have either normal or low grade abnormalities at colposcopic biopsy may be followed up with a 12-month cervical smear rather than a repeat colposcopy. Women with a normal smear and HrHPV-positive test should undergo a repeat co-test in 12 months, and if the co-test is positive should be referred for colposcopy.

Question time

Roger M Ridley-Smith

Selected excerpts from Methuselah

Using triggers in primary care patient records to flag increased adverse event risk and measure patient safety at clinic level

Kyle S Eggleton, Susan M Dovey

Consumption of vitamin C is below recommended daily intake in many cancer patients and healthy volunteers in Christchurch

Gabi U Dachs, Delwyn G Munn, Anitra C Carr, Margreet C M Vissers, Bridget A Robinson

Using triggers in primary care patient records to flag increased adverse event risk and measure patient safety at clinic level

Kyle S Eggleton, Susan M Dovey

SUMMARY

Sex workers’ utilisation of health services in a decriminalised environment

Gillian Abel

SUMMARY

Outcomes in HrHPV-positive women with low grade cervical smears and normal or low grade initial colposcopy results

Erica Winsley, Dushyant Maharaj, Peter Abels, Diane Kenwright, Fali Langdana

Vol 127 No 1390; 07 Mar 2014

Issue Summary

Using triggers in primary care patient records to flag increased adverse event risk and measure patient safety at clinic level

Sex workers’ utilisation of health services in a decriminalised environment

Outcomes in HrHPV-positive women with low grade cervical smears and normal or low grade initial colposcopy results

Question time

Selected excerpts from Methuselah

Using triggers in primary care patient records to flag increased adverse event risk and measure patient safety at clinic level

Medical image. Adult intussusception as a cause of chronic intermittent abdominal pain

Management of transient ischaemic attack: the importance of time and specialised clinics

Wise use of antibiotics

Philip John Rushmer

Notes of a case of traumatic epilepsy

The taxing of fizzy drinks

Comment on “why do patients choose the emergency department?”

Consumption of vitamin C is below recommended daily intake in many cancer patients and healthy volunteers in Christchurch

Medical image. Adrenocortical carcinoma presenting with hirsutism: an uncommon cause of a common complaint

Sex workers’ utilisation of health services in a decriminalised environment

Depression and bullying in children

Acute liver dysfunction as a presentation of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Outcomes in HrHPV-positive women with low grade cervical smears and normal or low grade initial colposcopy results

Using triggers in primary care patient records to flag increased adverse event risk and measure patient safety at clinic level

Sex workers’ utilisation of health services in a decriminalised environment

Outcomes in HrHPV-positive women with low grade cervical smears and normal or low grade initial colposcopy results

Latest Issue

Previous Issue

All Issues

Archive