The Assessment of Competence to Make a Treatment Decision: An Empirical Approach

1996 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Bean ◽  
Shizuhiko Nishisato ◽  
Neil A Rector ◽  
Graham Glancy
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice ◽  
Individual Item ◽  
Interview Schedule ◽  
Assessment Of Competence ◽  
Item Scores ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Attending Physician

Objective: To compare physicians' judgements of competency in routine clinical practice with the findings obtained from a structured clinical interview. Methods: Ninety-six patients referred for electroconvulsive therapy were administered the Competency Interview Schedule (CIS) prior to their first treatment. Cluster analysis was employed to categorize patients to 1 of 5 cluster centres represented by case studies previously judged competent or incompetent by lawyers and health professionals. Results: A match-mismatch table revealed 88% (N = 66) of the 75 patients found competent by the attending physician and 90.5% (N = 19) of the 21 patients found incompetent by the attending physician were classified in agreement with the CIS. The 9 misclassified patients found competent by the attending physician but classified incompetent by the CIS had consented to treatment. The 2 misclassified patients found incompetent by the attending physician but classified competent by the CIS had refused treatment. Examination of individual item scores from the CIS indicated that, in some cases, a different standard of competency was applied in routine clinical practice depending upon the patient's treatment decision. Conclusions: The CIS is presented as a useful guide for clinicians with an interest in competency evaluations but caution is advised in using the instrument to make formal evaluations of competency owing to the imprecise definition of competency in various jurisdictions.

Competence of mentally ill patients: a comparative empirical study

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1463-1471 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. VOLLMANN ◽  
A. BAUER ◽  
H. DANKER-HOPFE ◽  
H. HELMCHEN
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Test Instrument ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Assessment Of Competence ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Attending Physician

Background. This study investigates the competence of patients with dementia, depression and schizophrenia to make treatment decisions. The outcome of an objective test instrument is presented and compared with clinical assessment of competence by the attending physician.Method. The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment (MacCAT-T), a test instrument to assess abilities in different standards of competence, was administered to patients with diagnoses of dementia (N=31), depression (N=35) and schizophrenia (N=43). Statistical significance of group differences in the MacCAT-T results were tested with the chi-square test. The concordance of the test and clinical assessment of competence by the attending physician were evaluated by Cohen's kappa coefficient.Results. Patients with dementia, as a group, showed significantly more often impaired performance than those with schizophrenia who were still more impaired than depressed patients. Patients were classified as impaired or not depending on the standards used. By combination of all standards substantially more patients were classified as impaired than by clinical assessment (67·7 v. 48·4% of patients with dementia, 20·0 v. 2·9% of patients with depression, 53·5 v. 18·4% of patients with schizophrenia).Conclusions. Using different standards of competence the study showed substantial differences among patients with dementia, depression and schizophrenia. The high proportion of patients identified as incompetent raises several ethical questions, in particular, those referring to the selection of standards or the definition of cut-offs for incompetence. The discrepancy between clinical and formal evaluations points out the influence of the used procedure on competence judgements.

FRI0527 Impact of Ultrasound in Treatment Decision of Rheumatoid Arthritis Assessed in Routine Clinical Practice

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. 630.1-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Sifuentes-Cantú ◽  
L. Saldarriaga-Rivera ◽  
I. Contreras-Yáñez ◽  
M. Gutiérrez ◽  
V. Pascual-Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice

scholarly journals Impact of social and medical factors on routine clinical practice in prostate exams of asymptomatic males

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice ◽  
Prostate Health ◽  
Attending Physician ◽  
Attending Physicians ◽  
Asymptomatic Men

Objectives: To examine routine clinical practice in prostate health exams in asymptomatic males, and to identify which factors influence it. Materials and methods: Multicentre cross-sectional study in 1068 asymptomatic men aged 51-72. Groups: GA (n = 518): urban areas; GB (n = 550): rural areas. GA subgroups: GA1 (n = 364): prostate specific antigen (PSA) measured; GA2 (n = 154): PSA not measured. GB subgroups: GB1 (n = 346): PSA measured; GB2 (n = 204): PSA not measured. Variables: age, body mass index (BMI), digital rectal examination (DRE), PSA, prostate diagnosis, eating habits, physical exercise, marital status, number of children, occupational status, working hours, concomitant diseases and conditions, family history, attending physician. Descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, ANOVA, Pearson and Spearman correlations were used. Results: Mean age 62.3 years (standard deviation: SD 5.12). Age in GA (60.89, SD 5.53) was lower than in GB (65.10, SD 5.03); age was higher in GA1 (61.22, SD 5.49) than in GA2 (59.04, SD 5.37). There was no difference in BMI between GA and GB. DRE: No exams were performed without prior PSA. No DRE were performed in GA; 11 (3.18%) were performed in GB1. GA1: 53 had PSA > 4 ng/mL, of whom 28 had no prostate disease, 17 had benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 8 had prostate cancer (PCa). PCa prevalence in men with PSA > 4 ng/mL was 9.24% in GA and 5.19% in GB. GA1: higher PSA was correlated with lower BMI, lower age, higher occupational status, and morning shifts; lower PSA was correlated with higher alcohol consumption; older patients worked shifts and consumed more alcohol; men with higher occupational status consumed less alcohol; more men were married in GA1 (n = 343, [94.23%]) than in GA2 (n = 100, [64.93%]). In GA1, there were more non-smoking men (n = 291, [80.11%]) and men who smoked < 5 cigarettes/day (n = 23, [6.37%]), 6-10 cigarettes/day (n = 15, [4.05%]), and 11.20 cigarettes/day (n = 27, [7.33%]) than in GA2. Older men and men with higher occupational status consumed fewer cigarettes. Men who worked rotating shifts smoked more. There was no relationship between smoking and PSA level. There were more university-educated men in GA (n = 309, [59.65%]) than in GB (n = 110, [20%]). More men did not take physical exercise in GA2 (n = 49, [31.81%]) than in GA1 (n = 75, [23.90%]). GB1: PSA > 4 ng/mL in 89 patients, of whom 32 had PCa; younger men had higher PSA. PSA was higher in GB1 (mean 18.95 ng/mL, SD 12.93) than in GA1 (mean 1.61, SD 1.63). Men in GB ate more fast food than GA, with no difference between GA1 and GA2, or between GB1 and GB2. In GA there was variability in approach among the attending physicians; in GB there was no variability among attending physicians. Conclusions: PSA tests are routinely given to 70.27% of asymptomatic men who consult a doctor in urban environments and to 62.09% of men in rural environments. In urban areas, the decision is affected by the preferences of the attending physician and by whether the patient is married. Occupational category, working hours and educational level have no impact. The decision to undergo a prostate health exam is associated with healthy habits such as physical exercise. No relationship was found between prostate disorders in asymptomatic men and high BMI, dyslipidemia or diet.

Spectrum Concept of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

1988 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adityanjec ◽  
Suarn Singh ◽  
Gurnam Singh ◽  
Susan Ong
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Unitary Concept ◽  
Controversial Concept

Although neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) was initially thought to be a rare, idiosyncratic complication, the incidence estimates have been rising over the years. A part of this increase can be explained on the basis of an over-inclusive definition of NMS. The unitary concept of NMS has been challenged recently and a spectrum concept has been enunciated on the basis of findings of retrospective chart-reviews which have used too broad a definition of NMS. The authors describe three cases of neuroleptic-related toxicity with different clinical presentations which appeared in a manner apparently supporting the spectrum concept. They discuss this controversial concept critically, however, and caution against its overzealous use in routine clinical practice owing to its far-reaching clinical implications.

Diagnostic Interviewing with Children: The Use and Reliability of the Diagnostic Coding Form

1989 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 283-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Beitchman ◽  
Bastian Kruidenier ◽  
Marjorie Clegg ◽  
Jane Hood ◽  
Angela Corradini
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Interrater Reliability ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Interview Schedule ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Diagnostic Coding ◽  
Feeling States ◽  
The Face ◽  
Structured Approach

There have been few attempts to standardize assessment methods in Child Psychiatry. This paper describes a semi-structured approach to diagnostic interviewing of the child. Thirty-four children six to 13 years of age, and their parents, were interviewed two weeks apart by two different psychiatrists. A diagnostic coding form consisting of 29 clinical symptom items, eight summary items, and nine positive health ratings was used. Three diagnostic items were also included: “severity of clinical condition,” “probability of disorder,” and “adjustment status.” Twelve of the Time 2 interviews with the child and parent were videotaped and rated by three different psychiatrists. Results indicated that summary items had higher reliability than individual symptom items and the three diagnostic items had the highest reliability, suggesting reliability is better for broad classes of behaviour. Interrater reliability was higher for the face-to-face rating than videotaped ratings. This suggests first that face-to-face interviews are reasonably stable over a two week period and second, since videotaped ratings had lowest reliability on items that depended on inferences about the child's feedlings, an important source of variance in assessment may be the clinician's ability to empathize with the child and draw inferences about internal feeling-states. It was concluded that this interview schedule can be a part of routine clinical practice. It ensures a reasonably standard, yet flexible and reliable approach to diagnostic interviewing.

Comparison of Fluorine(18)-fluorodeoxyglucose and Gallium(68)-citrate PET/CT in patients with tuberculosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (05) ◽  
pp. 371-378
Author(s):  
Alfred O. Ankrah ◽  
Ismaheel O. Lawal ◽  
Tebatso M.G. Boshomane ◽  
Hans C. Klein ◽  
Thomas Ebenhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tracer Uptake ◽  
Pet Ct ◽  
The Mean ◽  
18F Fdg ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Gallium 68 ◽  
Attending Physician ◽  
Pet Scans ◽  
The Brain

Abstract 18F-FDG and 68Ga-citrate PET/CT have both been shown to be useful in the management of tuberculosis (TB). We compared the abnormal PET findings of 18F-FDG- and 68Ga-citrate-PET/CT in patients with TB. Methods Patients with TB on anti-TB therapy were included. Patients had a set of PET scans consisting of both 18F-FDG and 68Ga-citrate. Abnormal lesions were identified, and the two sets of scans were compared. The scan findings were correlated to the clinical data as provided by the attending physician. Results 46 PET/CT scans were performed in 18 patients, 11 (61 %) were female, and the mean age was 35.7 ± 13.5 years. Five patients also had both studies for follow-up reasons during the use of anti-TB therapy. Thirteen patients were co-infected with HIV. 18F-FDG detected more lesions than 68Ga-citrate (261 vs. 166, p < 0.0001). 68Ga-citrate showed a better definition of intracerebral lesions due to the absence of tracer uptake in the brain. The mean SUVmax was higher for 18F-FDG compared to 68Ga-citrate (5.73 vs. 3.01, p < 0.0001). We found a significant correlation between the SUVmax of lesions that were determined by both tracers (r = 0.4968, p < 0.0001). Conclusion Preliminary data shows 18F-FDG-PET detects more abnormal lesions in TB compared to 68Ga-citrate. However, 68Ga-citrate has better lesion definition in the brain and is therefore especially useful when intracranial TB is suspected.

Diagnosis and Management of Cardiomyopathies – A Focus on Genetics, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance and Clinical Features

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Gianfranco Sinagra ◽  
Michele Moretti ◽  
Giancarlo Vitrella ◽  
Marco Merlo ◽  
Rossana Bussani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Molecular Genetic Analysis ◽  
Routine Clinical Practice ◽  
Clinical Approach ◽  
Diagnosis And Management ◽  
Made In

In recent years, outstanding progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiomyopathies. Genetics is emerging as a primary point in the diagnosis and management of these diseases. However, molecular genetic analyses are not yet included in routine clinical practice, mainly because of their elevated costs and execution time. A patient-based and patient-oriented clinical approach, coupled with new imaging techniques such as cardiac magnetic resonance, can be of great help in selecting patients for molecular genetic analysis and is crucial for a better characterisation of these diseases. This article will specifically address clinical, magnetic resonance and genetic aspects of the diagnosis and management of cardiomyopathies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document