Wolters Kluwer Health and Amirsys Join Forces to Provide Easy Access to Comprehensive Radiology, Pathology, and Anatomy Images and Content

Posted on March 19, 2013

Amirsys Imaging Reference Center Database Now Available to Medical Professionals via the OvidSP Research Platform; Amirsys eBooks Coming Soon  

New York, NY (March 18, 2013) – Wolters Kluwer Health and Amirsys, Inc., a leader in healthcare information solutions in radiology, pathology, and anatomy, are pleased to announce a partnership to offer the Amirsys Imaging Reference Center and nearly 60 Amirsys ebooks via the OvidSP medical research platform. The Amirsys Imaging Reference Center blends thousands of high-quality, representative images and relevant diagnosis and clinical text contributed by thousands of imaging experts, enabling clinicians to quickly make well-informed image-based treatment decisions.

The Amirsys Imaging Reference Center will be available to hospitals, residency programs, medical schools, and other healthcare institutions globally as an annual subscription or as a single, one-time purchase on OvidSP.

The Amirsys Imaging Reference Center includes over 70,000 CT scans, X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, full-color illustrations, and other images. More than 4,000 common, classical diagnoses as well as clinical text supported by over 40,000 journal references provide critical clinical context to the images, helping users to order and review imaging tests and studies and diagnose patients based on radiological images. Images and topics are searchable by medical specialty and organ system, and users can print or download images and content for easy use in the office, in presentations, or in the classroom.

“This collaboration with Amirsys provides our OvidSP global user base with a unique tool to form critical clinical perspectives on diagnostic images in support of patient-centered care,” said Andrew Richardson, Vice President Business Development Wolters Kluwer Health, Medical Research. “The addition of Amirsys on Ovid reinforces our aggregation strategy to provide researchers, practitioners and students with complementary, premier medical, clinical resources easily accessible in one solution.”

In addition to the Amirsys Imaging Reference Center, fifty-nine ebooks from Amirsys will be coming to the OvidSP platform. These include the award-winning Osborn’s Brain: Imaging, Pathology, and Anatomy, the successor to one of the bestselling neuroradiology books which covers the fundamentals, techniques, and modalities of brain imaging and includes over 2,000 annotated images. Three cost-effective book collections will also be available: the Amirsys Diagnostic Radiology Book Collection, Amirsys Diagnostic Pathology Book Collection and Amirsys Diagnostic Reference Collection.

“We were impressed with the global penetration and quality of aggregated content on the Ovid platform so it made for a perfect distribution channel to broaden the reach of our Imaging Reference Center resources targeting practitioners, instructors, educators, and students in any medical field at any stage in their training,” said Dr. Ric Harnsberger MD, Professor of Radiology at University of Utah, and Amirsys Co-CEO.

About Amirsys, Inc.

Amirsys, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative healthcare information solutions in radiology, pathology, and anatomy. Our unique combination of proprietary technology and image-intensive, evidence-based content provide online problem-solving solutions and reference books to thousands of physicians and health professionals worldwide.

Amirsys delivers medical expertise with powerful technology to provide life-saving, vital information to health care professionals. Amirsys content is authored by a team of over 300 leading radiologists, pathologists and anatomists. Our intelligent technology transforms this content to deliver powerful medical information products, ranging from clinical diagnostic support to educational products.

About Wolters Kluwer Health

Wolters Kluwer Health (Philadelphia, PA) is a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide, Wolters Kluwer Health’s customers include professionals, institutions and students in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ovid®, Medknow, UpToDate®, Medi-Span®, Facts & Comparisons®, Pharmacy OneSource®, Lexicomp® and ProVation® Medical.

Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company. Wolters Kluwer had 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion), employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in All Medicine, Publications, Technology | Leave a comment

Wolters Kluwer Health Teams with AALTCN to Develop Support Solution for LTC Nurses

Posted on March 18, 2013

Plans to Release Long-Term Care Category in Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills

AMBLER, Pa. (March 12, 2013) – Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry, today announced a collaboration between Lippincott’s Nursing Solutions and the American Association of Long Term Care Nursing (AALTCN) to develop a new point-of-care support solution for nurses working in nursing homes and other long-term care settings.  The collaboration is creating a new category of the Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills product designed to meet the needs of long-term care (LTC) nurses.

Charlotte Eliopoulos, Director and Co-Founder of AALTCN, is directing the development project.  Eliopoulos tapped into her organization’s membership to assemble a team of practicing nurses who are currently engaged in LTC settings and were enlisted for their individual expertise and ability to document procedures from a real world perspective. 

“With a growing and clinically complex population coming into long term care and with all of the emphasis on reducing hospital readmissions, there’s a lot of sensitivity about competently caring for this group,” said Eliopoulos.  “To have a cost effective, user-friendly product that can equip us to effectively provide the proper care is essential, and makes this a timely project.” 

“We are really excited to merge the existing strengths and functionality of Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills together with all of the insight and expertise that AALTCN brings to the profession,” said Carolyn Dalton, Senior Digital Product Manager, Wolters Kluwer Health.  “The end result is LTC focused procedures that will have considerable impact on that space.”

Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills, part of Lippincott’s Nursing Solutions family of products, gives nurses accurate, step-by-step guidance for over 1,300 evidence-based procedures.  Video clips and/or high-quality visuals that aid in understanding accompany most procedures.  The online resource provides skills checklists and competency tests for each procedure to help facilities verify staff competence.  Each procedure undergoes a thorough annual review process to ensure the most up-to-date clinical information is provided.  Facilities can customize and add procedures to meet their specific needs.

Lippincott’s Nursing Solutions is a comprehensive, integrated application suite of online clinical information technology and professional development products that supports evidence-based practice, standardizes care, enhances productivity, and streamlines workflows for nursing professionals.  Created by nurses for nurses, it is currently helping more than 1,500 healthcare facilities promote clinical excellence by creating a culture of safety and continuous quality improvement.  Key products under its umbrella include Lippincott’s Nursing Advisor; Lippincott’s Professional Development Programs; and Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills.

The agreement with AALTCN includes the creation of 75 new and/or modified long-term care procedures that are being added to the existing Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills product.  The additions will start rolling out in April and will be completely populated by the end of the year.  The enhancements are targeted at health systems with LTC departments, nursing homes, assisted living communities, community care programs and other long-term sub-acute care providers.  To learn more, visit its website or call (855) 695-5070.

About American Association for Long Term Care

The American Association for Long Term Care Nursing (AALTCN) unites all levels of nursing staff to advance excellence in the specialty of long-term care nursing. The association encourages respect for long-term care nursing staff by informing colleagues and consumers about the complexities, competencies, and commitment of the special caregivers who commit to this specialty. As the nation’s largest network of caregivers, the mission of the American Association for Long Term Care Nursing is to create community and teamwork, provide educational resources, support and promote excellence in care, and advocate for an improved status and voice for long-term care nursing staff.

About Wolters Kluwer Health

Wolters Kluwer Health (Philadelphia, PA) is a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide, Wolters Kluwer Health’s customers include professionals, institutions and students in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ovid®, Medknow, UpToDate®, Medi-Span®, Facts & Comparisons®, Pharmacy OneSource®, Lexicomp® and ProVation® Medical.Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company. Wolters Kluwer had 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion), employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Tom Kivett
Kivett & Company Communications
212-727-2935
tkivett@kivettandco.com

Posted in All Medicine, Nursing, Nursing - Administration Management & Leadership, Publications, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What’s Nursing’s Role in Improving Health Care Quality? Building an Evidence Base and Future Research Recommendations

Posted on March 18, 2013

Special Supplement to Medical Care Presents Update on INQRI

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 18, 2012) – Nurses are the largest group of health care professionals and have the most interaction with patients.  Yet previously, there has been limited research regarding nursing’s contributions to improving the quality of care.  A special April supplement to Medical Care provides an update from the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) — an ongoing program, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), to “generate, disseminate, and translate research to understand how nurses contribute to and can improve patient care quality.”  Medical Care is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

The INQRI program was launched in 2005 to help address the lack of evidence linking nursing to the quality of patient care.  The INQRI program is led by Mary D. Naylor, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Mark Pauly, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, in collaboration with RWJF senior program officer Lori Melichar, PhD.

How Do Nurses Contribute to Health Care Quality Improvement?

“Over two and a half million registered nurses provide care in a diverse range of settings across the United States,” according to an introductory article by Drs Naylor, Pauly, Melichar and coauthors.  “Yet there is limited understanding about nurses’ specific and distinct contribution to the quality of care provided to patients, families, and communities.” 

The special issue assembles invited contributions from experts working on various INQRI-funded initiatives, providing an update on the accomplishments of the INQRI program.  The supplement papers discuss timely issues in research design and implementation, placing INQRI research in the context of advances in quality improvement, health policy and health services research.  Naylor and colleagues write, “This edition of Medical Care provides an overview of some of the key discoveries made by INQRI grantees, examines cross-cutting issues experienced by research teams, and describes recommended approaches to advance this line of inquiry and its impact.”

Dr Naylor is also lead author of a comprehensive review of research through the first five years of INQRI.  The review shows significant advances in research supporting nursing’s impact on the quality of care, “reflected in higher rates and quality of publications, enhanced methodologic rigor, and evidence of stronger interdisciplinary collaboration.”   While this progress can’t be wholly ascribed to the INQRI project, “[T]he evidence supports the increased importance of changes consistent with INQRI’s goal of measuring and enhancing nursing’s contributions to the quality of patient care.”

The supplement also presents reviews and updates from INQRI experts in five key areas:

  • New tools for quality measurement—A report on four INQRI projects designed to develop “simple, feasible, affordable” tools for measuring health care quality.  INQRI teams are focusing on measures that can be integrated into the health care delivery system and the growing use of electronic health records.
  • Challenges to conducting interdisciplinary research—Collaborative efforts across nursing, medicine, economics, engineering, statistics, and other disciplines are viewed as essential, using “the entire continuum of care to provide value-added and cost effective care.”
  • Challenges in implementation science—New research methods from the emerging field of implementation science can provide the critical link between effective interventions, clinical practice, and patient outcomes.
  • Dissemination and implementation—The experience of INQRI-funded projects to implement new quality improvement initiatives is presented, illustrating the key issues in achieving widespread adoption of effective innovations in care delivery.
  • Building the “business case” for nursing.—Experience from INQRI studies highlights the challenges of demonstrating the value of investing in nursing, with the ultimate goal of achieving better patient outcomes in a financially sustainable manner.

“To achieve better care and outcomes while ensuring the efficient use of finite resources, it is essential to advance our understanding of the causal linkages between nurses and the care they deliver,” Dr Naylor and coauthors conclude.  Together with the editors of Medical Care, they hope the special issue will draw attention to INQRI’s role in building the evidence base for nurses’ contributions to “the quality of health delivery and the improvement of that care.”

About Medical Care

Rated as one of the top ten journals in health care administration, Medical Care is devoted to all aspects of the administration and delivery of health care.  This scholarly journal publishes original, peer-reviewed papers documenting the most current developments in the rapidly changing field of health care.  Medical Care provides timely reports on the findings of original investigations into issues related to the research, planning, organization, financing, provision, and evaluation of health services.  In addition, numerous special supplementary issues that focus on specialized topics are produced with each volume.  Medical Care is the official journal of the Medical Care Section of the American Public Health Association

 About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in All Medicine, Nursing, Nursing - Administration Management & Leadership, Nursing - Issues and Trends, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

No Increase in Risk of Death for Patients with Well-Controlled HIV, Reports AIDS Journal

Posted on March 12, 2013

With Undetectable Virus and Normal Immune Function, Mortality Risk No Higher than in General Population, Reports AIDS Journal

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 11, 2013) – For HIV-infected patients whose disease is well-controlled by modern treatment, the risk of death is not significantly higher than in the general population, according to a study published in AIDS, official journal of the International AIDS Society. AIDS is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

The study suggests that patients with undetectable viral loads and near-normal levels of immune cells on state-of-the art antiretroviral therapy (ART) can expect to have about the same risk of death as people without HIV.  The article is available on the AIDS journal homepage and in the March 13 print edition.

What’s the Risk of Death with Well-Controlled HIV?

Dr Alison Rodger of University College London and colleagues assessed mortality rates in a group of patients with “optimally treated” HIV, drawn from two major trials of treatment for HIV infection:  the ESPRIT and SMART trials.  The analysis included nearly 3,300 patients who were not injecting drug users and who received continuous ART.  On treatment, all had achieved undetectable HIV levels and had relatively high levels of CD4+ cells, a key population of immune cells—at least 350 cells/mm3.  (A CD4+ cell count of 500 to 1,000 cells/mm3  is considered normal.)

The patients’ average age was 43 years; 80 percent were men.  Rates and causes of death in these patients with well-controlled HIV were compared with those in the general population.

During a median follow-up of about three years, 62 of the patients died.  The most common causes of death were cardiovascular disease or sudden death, responsible for 31 percent of deaths; and non-HIV-related cancers, 19 percent.  Only two deaths (three percent) were considered AIDS-related.

Patients with below-normal CD4+ cell counts (350 to 499 cells/mm3) were at elevated risk of death.  Based on the standardized mortality ratio, the risk of death in this group was 77 percent higher than in the general population.

With Normal CD4+ Cell Counts, No Increase in Mortality

However, in HIV-infected patients with a CD4+ cell count of 500 cells/mm3 or higher, the risk of death was not significantly higher than in the general population.  For this group, the risk of death was essentially normal regardless of how low the CD4+ cell count dipped during treatment, as long as it returned to normal.

Over the years, effective ART regimens for HIV infection have become simpler, less toxic, and more effective.  “Due to the success of ART, it is relevant to ask if death rates in optimally treated HIV are higher than the general population,” the researchers write.

Previous studies have suggested that, with successful treatment, mortality risk approaches that of people without HIV.  However, these studies have had important limitations, including a lack of complete information on patient outcomes.  The use of comprehensive follow-up data from the ESPRIT and SMART trials overcomes this limitation.

The new study provides the best evidence yet that, with effective ART that achieving good disease control, the mortality rate for people with HIV is essentially the same as in the general population.  Dr Rodger and colleagues conclude, “Our data support the importance of early diagnosis and treatment to improve clinical outcomes and it is likely that much of the excess mortality associated with HIV would be preventable with timely diagnosis of HIV and initiation of ART.”

Further studies will be needed to clarify the implications for HIV treatment, including the best time to start ART based on CD4+ cell counts.  The researchers also note that other causes of illness or death emerge as the current generation of treated HIV-infected people continues to age.

“Rodger and colleagues add to the considerable body of evidence on which early treatment initiation guidelines are based,” commented Veronica Miller, PhD, Director of the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research.  “Together with studies indicating equal benefit across risk groups, including injecting drug users, as long as individuals are maintained in care, this study further validates universal testing with immediate linkage and retention in care policies.”

About AIDS

AIDS publishes the very latest ground-breaking research on HIV and AIDS. Read by all the top clinicians and researchers, AIDS has the highest impact of all AIDS-related journals.  With 18 issues per year, AIDS guarantees the authoritative presentation of even more significant advances. The Editors, themselves noted international experts who know the demands of HIV/AIDS research, are committed to making AIDS the most distinguished and innovative journal in the field.   Visit the journal website at www.aidsonline.com.

About Lippincott Williams & WilkinsLippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes. LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in All Medicine, Infectious Disease, Public Health, Publications | Leave a comment

Updated ‘Stereo EEG’ Workflow Simplifies Planning of Epilepsy Surgery

Posted on March 12, 2013

Advanced Image Processing and Robot-Assisted Surgery Promote Safety and Accuracy, Reports Neurosurgery

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 12, 2013) – For patients with “drug-resistant” epilepsy requiring surgery, an updated stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) technique provides a more efficient process for obtaining critical data for surgical planning, according to a study in the March issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

“SEEG is a safe and accurate procedure for invasive assessment of the epileptogenic zone,” according to the new report by Dr. Francesco Cardinale of Niguarda Ca’ Granda Hospital, Milan, and colleagues. Their “updated workflow” combines sophisticated imaging data reconstructions and robot-assisted surgery, “providing essential information in the most complex cases of drug-resistant epilepsy.”

Stereo EEG Technique Updated and Simplified

The researchers describe the development of and initial experience with an updated SEEG technique for planning epilepsy surgery. The concept of SEEG is not new. Originally developed by French researchers named Talairach and Bancaud, SEEG uses electrodes implanted in the brain to localize the epileptogenic zone—the area in which seizures originate. The traditional SEEG technique includes two surgical steps: 3-D imaging of the brain blood vessels (stereotactic angiography) followed by electrode implantation.

Over the last few years, Dr. Cardinale and colleagues have been working to develop an updated SEEG workflow allowing a one-step surgical technique. Before surgery, the patient undergoes 3-D magnetic resonance imaging and 3-D digital subtraction angiography. The digital imaging data then undergo processing for reconstruction, resulting in the creation of a detailed computerized model of the brain and of the vascular tree. A key part of the development process was creating a “homemade” computer script to automate the necessary series of data processing steps.

Using the software program from an image-guided neurosurgical robot, the reconstructed data are used to plan the surgical approach, or “trajectory.” Robot-assisted surgery was then performed to implant the electrodes. Whether performed by the traditional or updated workflow, the goal of SEEG is to provide the surgeon with highly precise information on the location of the epileptogenic zone, used for planning epilepsy surgery. (In a brief online video, Dr. Cardinale outlines the steps involved in the updated workflow: http://links.lww.com/NEU/A513)

The researchers report on the outcomes of 500 SEEG procedures performed between 1996 and 2011 in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Both techniques were highly successful in guiding electrode placement to localize the epileptogenic zone. Complications occurred in 12 cases, for a rate of 2.4 percent.

The first 419 procedures were done with the traditional two-step process; the next 81 procedures were done using the new workflow. The updated technique provided good data reconstructions with no loss of information and a “dramatic reduction in procedural error risks.” Use of the 3-D data with the neurosurgical robot allowed neurosurgeons to target any area of the brain, from a wide range of angles. They were also able to create 3-D representations of the brain anatomy and electrode placement, which facilitated communication among the surgical team members and patients.

Detailed analysis in a subset of cases found improved accuracy with the new technique. Median error in localizing the implanted electrodes decreased by about 1 millimeter both at the entry point (the most risky zone) and at the deepest point. The authors believe their technique allows them to estimate a “safe entry region” for electrode placement with 99 percent accuracy.

The new experience adds to the evidence that SEEG is a safe and effective procedure for electrode placement and surgical planning in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.  Dr. Cardinale and colleagues conclude, “The traditional Talairach methodology, recently updated by the use of the most advanced multimodal planning tools and robot-assisted surgery, allows one to directly record electric activity from every brain structure, providing valuable information in the most complex cases of refractory epilepsy.” They are currently working on developing a “SEEG automatic planner.”

About Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery, the Official Journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, is your most complete window to the contemporary field of neurosurgery. Members of the Congress and non-member subscribers receive 3,000 pages per year packed with the very latest science, technology, and medicine, not to mention full-text online access to the world’s most complete, up-to-the-minute neurosurgery resource. For professionals aware of the rapid pace of developments in the field, Neurosurgery is nothing short of indispensable.

About Wolters Kluwer Health

Wolters Kluwer Health (Philadelphia, PA) is a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide, Wolters Kluwer Health’s customers include professionals, institutions and students in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ovid®, Medknow, UpToDate®, Medi-Span®, Facts & Comparisons®, Pharmacy OneSource®, Lexicomp® and ProVation® Medical.

Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company. Wolters Kluwer had 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion), employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in Publications, Surgery - Neurosurgery, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Ruptured Aneurysm Has Lasting Impact on Quality of Life

Posted on March 12, 2013

Ten Years after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Survivors Have Persistent Problems in Key Areas, Reports Neurosurgery

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 12, 2013) – Ten years after stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm of the brain, surviving patients have persistent difficulties in several areas affecting quality of life, reports a study in the March issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

The long-term impact of ruptured aneurysms causing subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) highlights the need for “survivorship care plans” comparable to those made for long-term cancer survivors, according to the report by Ann-Christin von Vogelsang, MSN, PhD, and colleagues of Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Quality of Life Ten Years after Ruptured Aneurysm

The researchers performed a long-term follow-up study in 217 patients who had survived SAH caused by a ruptured aneurysm. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a life-threatening type of stroke in which there is bleeding into the brain. It most commonly occurs when an aneurysm—a weak spot in one of the blood vessels supplying the brain—ruptures or breaks.

Approximately ten years after treatment for ruptured aneurysm and SAH, the patients completed a questionnaire evaluating key areas of health-related quality of life. Responses were compared with a general population sample of similar age and sex.

The aneurysm survivors were 154 women and 63 men, average age 61 years. Most underwent surgery for treatment for their ruptured aneurysm. At ten years’ follow-up, 30 percent rated themselves as “fully recovered.”

But compared to the general population, the SAH survivors had increased problems in four out of five dimensions of quality of life: mobility, self-care, usual activities, and anxiety/depression. (The only area that wasn’t significantly worse was pain/discomfort.) On a 100-point scale, overall quality of life score averaged 71 for the aneurysm survivors, compared to 78 for the general population group.

Patients who were more disabled after their SAH had lower quality of life scores at follow-up, as did those who rated themselves as less than fully recovered. Patients with other (comorbid) health problems also had more difficulties affecting quality of life.

Survivors of SAH Need Long-Term Follow-Up and Support

Ruptured aneurysm leading to SAH is a potentially life-threatening condition. Patients who survive this serious form of stroke are at risk of physical disability and depression. Previous studies have evaluated quality of life for survivors of ruptured aneurysm, but few have looked at outcomes more than five years after the event.

One recent study suggested that patients may show continued improvement even more than a decade after SAH. Quality of life is increasingly regarded as an important factor affecting patient outcomes.

The new findings show that survivors of ruptured aneurysm have decreased quality of life and an increased rate of health problems. “The implications for health care from our study are that aneurysmal SAH patients need to be followed up and that support needs to be provided long term after the onset,” Dr. von Vogelsang and colleagues write. Unrealistic expectations of recovery may be a key issue.

They believe that patients who have experienced a ruptured aneurysm might benefit from survivorship care plans, similar to those used for long-term cancer survivors. “A survivorship care plan aims to inform the patient of long-term effects, to identify psychosocial resources in their community, and to provide guidance on follow-up care, prevention, and health maintenance,” Dr. von Vogelsang and coauthors add. They call for further research on how best to provide follow-up and support for SAH survivors, including studies to explore patients’ expectations for recovery.

About Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery, the Official Journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, is your most complete window to the contemporary field of neurosurgery. Members of the Congress and non-member subscribers receive 3,000 pages per year packed with the very latest science, technology, and medicine, not to mention full-text online access to the world’s most complete, up-to-the-minute neurosurgery resource. For professionals aware of the rapid pace of developments in the field, Neurosurgery is nothing short of indispensable.

About Wolters Kluwer Health

Wolters Kluwer Health (Philadelphia, PA) is a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide, Wolters Kluwer Health’s customers include professionals, institutions and students in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Ovid®, Medknow, UpToDate®, Medi-Span®, Facts & Comparisons®, Pharmacy OneSource®, Lexicomp® and ProVation® Medical.

Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company. Wolters Kluwer had 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion), employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in Publications, Surgery - Neurosurgery | Leave a comment

New iPad App for Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills Gives Internet-free Access for Point-of-care Support

Posted on March 11, 2013

Offline Access Makes It Ideal for Disaster Recovery and Home Healthcare

AMBLER, Pa (Feb. 4, 2013) – Lippincott’s Nursing Solutions, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry, today announced the launch of an iPad® app for Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills, the premier web-based procedures reference product used by hospitals and institutions.  The new app augments a facility’s existing Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills database by offering immediate access to all of its content—including custom content—without the need to always have an Internet connection.  This newly created, un-tethered access also lends itself well to disaster recovery and home healthcare applications.

For example, when Hurricane Sandy pounded the East Coast last October it became readily apparent to millions just how helpless we become when cell phones are out and the Internet is down.  Although this new app was not designed specifically for hurricane preparedness, it does make it possible for existing Lippincott’s Nursing Procedures and Skills customers to gain access to their custom databases, even when no Internet connection is available. 

Available immediately as a free iTunes® download, the new app is only accessible to authorized users from institutions that currently subscribe to the online database.  Upon entering a valid user name and password, the app downloads the user’s facility-specific version of the database complete with all customized procedures as well as any critical notes that may have been added.

“Customers love the fast, online access we provide to their nursing procedures but they also want something in place when their devices do not have access to the Internet,” said Carolyn Dalton, Senior Digital Product Manager, Wolters Kluwer Health, Professional & Education.  “The beauty of this app is the offline capability, which allows them to always have their facility-specific procedures accessible to their staff, and protects their access in disaster recovery and remote-use situations.”

In addition to disaster recovery, home health care is another key area where the self-contained app provides benefit.  Many community health nurses are travelling daily to places where they lack any form of Internet access.  The app allows these health workers to have the same capabilities and access to the same information that all staff is looking at regardless of whether they are online or off.

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Tom Kivett
Kivett & Company Communications
212-727-2935
tkivett@kivettandco.com

Posted in Nursing, Nursing - Diagnosis, Care Planning and Process, Nursing - Skills and Procedures | Leave a comment

Neck Injuries Linked to High Costs for Patients and Spouses, Reports Study in Spine

Posted on March 11, 2013

But Negative Social and Health Factors Noted More than a Decade Before Injury

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 11, 2013) – Patients with neck injuries incur increased health and social costs—which also affect their spouses and may begin years before the initial injury, reports a study in the March 1 issue of Spine.  The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Some individuals and families seem more susceptible to experiencing socioeconomic consequences of neck injury, according to the new research by Dr Poul Jennum of University of Copenhagen and colleagues.  Particularly for patients who develop chronic neck pain, the health and social costs may start to increase a decade or more before neck injury occurs

Higher Health and Social Costs for Patients with Neck Injuries

To analyze the “socioeconomic burdens” of neck injuries, the researchers used Danish national databases to identify approximately 94,000 patients who sustained neck injuries (other than fractures) from 1998 to 2009.  The patients with neck injuries were matched to controls without neck injuries.

In addition to direct health care costs and prescription drugs, the study addressed indirect costs such as work disability and social security payments.  The researchers also assessed health and social costs for the spouses of patients with neck injury; as well as changes in costs over time, including the years before the injury.

Nearly all cost categories were increased for patients with neck injuries.  “Neck injury patients had significantly higher rates of health-related contacts, medication use and higher socioeconomic costs than controls,” Dr Jennum and coauthors write.  The spouses of patients with neck injuries also had increased costs for doctor visits, hospital services, and medications.

Social costs—including sick pay, social welfare, and other “transfer payments”—were also significantly higher for patients with neck injuries and their spouses.  Despite receiving more welfare payments, patients with neck injuries had only slightly lower employment rates.

‘Pre-existing Increased Vulnerability’ to Higher Costs

Overall direct and indirect costs were about €2,500 higher for patients with neck injuries and €1,600 higher for spouses.  “The consequences for the spouse were not negligible, accounting for approximately one-third of the total familial health-related costs,” the researchers write.

The increases in both direct and indirect costs began to occur well before neck injury—up to eleven years earlier.  Dr Jennum and colleagues write, “Particularly among those subjects whose injury had a long-term socioeconomic impact—ie, those who developed persistent symptoms after neck injuries—there was evidence of a negative social- and health-related status several years before the accident.”  This pattern suggests a “pre-existing increased vulnerability” to the economic and social costs of neck injury, for both patient and spouse.

How could costs increase even before the neck injury?  It may reflect the well-recognized psychosocial factors affecting people’s ability to cope with back and neck pain, Dr Jennum and coauthors suggest.  The increased costs for spouses may reflect a trend for people with “low-threshold sickness behavior” to choose spouses with similar tendencies.

Neck injury is a common and costly problem, with approximately ten percent of injured patients developing chronic neck pain and other symptoms.  Whiplash-associated disorders occurring after traffic accidents are an example of a potentially chronic neck injury leading to high medical and social costs.

“Neck injuries are associated with major socioeconomic consequences for patients, their spouses and society,” Dr the researchers conclude.  The new findings suggest that some individuals and families may be predisposed to chronic neck pain and its adverse health and social impact.  Dr Jennum and coauthors call for further research to “identify high-risk groups for chronic disease development and disease management, so that the costs and consequences for patients and society can be reduced.”

Read the full article at spinejournal.com.

About Spine

Recognized internationally as the leading journal in its field, Spine (www.spinejournal.com) is an international, peer-reviewed, bi-weekly periodical that considers for publication original articles in the field of spine. It is the leading subspecialty journal for the treatment of spinal disorders. Only original papers are considered for publication with the understanding that they are contributed solely to Spine.  According to the latest ISI Science Citation Impact Factor, Spine is the most frequently cited spinal deformity journal among general orthopaedic journals and subspecialty titles.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes. LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2011 annual revenues of €3.4 billion ($4.7 billion).

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in All Medicine, Neurology, Orthopedics, Publications | Leave a comment

Need for Culturally Sensitive Treatment for Deaf Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

Posted on March 11, 2013

Review in Journal of Psychiatric Practice Addresses Communication and Other Challenges

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 11, 2013) – Members of the Deaf community who suffer from mental health problems need culturally sensitive treatment to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, according to a report in the March Journal of Psychiatric Practice.  The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

“Deaf individuals comprise a cultural and linguistic minority group within the United States, and culturally and linguistically appropriate psychiatric treatment must reflect these differences,” according to Sarah A. Landsberger, PhD, and coauthors of the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.  With the goal of providing guidance for hearing psychiatrists, the authors review the limited research literature on mental health care for deaf patients.

Providing Mental Health Care for Deaf Patients—Interpreters Needed!

Approximately 1.2 million American are functionally deaf―that is, they are unable to understand vocal communication even with hearing aids. Many deaf individuals identify culturally with the Deaf community and culture, in which deafness is not viewed as an impairment but rather as a locus of pride and identity.

When deaf patients require mental health services, the first major challenge is finding a means to communicate with the patient in order to elicit symptoms. Many deaf individuals use American Sign Language (ASL)—a manual language with its own grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.

“Ideally, clinicians most suited to working with the Deaf population are those who are fluent in ASL, have had significant exposure to the Deaf community, and understand Deaf cultural values,” Dr Landsberger and coauthors write.

Unfortunately, few providers meet these criteria.

For patients who are fluent in ASL, nonsigning clinicians will need to employ a certified interpreter with specialized training in mental health interpretation.  Finding such interpreters can be difficult, however.  Dr Landsberger and colleagues call for specialized mental health training for ASL interpreters who work in psychiatric settings.

Challenges in Communication, Diagnosis and Treatment

Unfortunately, some deaf individuals have never had adequate exposure to or training in ASL or other communication systems used by the Deaf population.  They may have serious language deficits, communicating mainly by gestures and mime. For these patients, the doctor may need to employ both a certified deaf interpreter—who is trained to help gather the intended message and put it into grammatically correct ASL—as well as an ASL interpreter.

Correct diagnosis is another challenge.  Evaluating for psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, in deaf patients can be especially difficult. A key question is whether the person has experienced hallucinations—especially auditory hallucinations (hearing voices). But how does one explain the concept of hearing voices to someone who has been deaf from birth?

Another common symptom of psychosis is disorganized thoughts, which are usually diagnosed based on disorganized speech.  Psychiatrists evaluating deaf patients need to be cautious to avoid misinterpreting language deficits as a symptom of psychosis.

Effectively providing “talk” therapy—that is, different types of psychotherapy—to deaf patients poses obvious challenges. The authors discuss ways of adapting psychotherapy to be more effective for deaf patients and how the presence of an interpreter may affect the doctor-patient therapeutic relationship.

“As with any cultural minority, providers should seek specific training and education to become culturally competent providers to deaf people,” Dr Landsberger and coauthors write.  “At a minimum, clinicians who have large numbers of deaf patients in their caseloads should be knowledgeable about Deaf culture and become fluent in sign language.”  They conclude by calling for more research concerning mental health care for the deaf.

About Journal of Psychiatric Practice

Journal of Psychiatric Practice®, a peer reviewed journal, publishes reports on new research, clinically applicable reviews, articles on treatment advances, and case studies, with the goal of providing practical and informative guidance for clinicians. Mental health professionals will want access to this journal­—for sharpening their clinical skills, discovering the best in treatment, and navigating this rapidly changing field. John M. Oldham, MD, is the editor in chief and past president of the American Psychiatric Association.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in All Medicine, Otolaryngology, Psychiatry, Psychology and Addiction Medicine, Publications | Leave a comment

The American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) Celebrates 45th Annual Educational Meeting

Posted on March 7, 2013

Calls on Practitioners to Explore the Specialty’s Critical Information to Improve Patient Care

Official AANN Journal Introduces iPad App Edition to Aid Practitioners with Fast,
Convenient Access to the Research

Philadelphia PA (March 7, 2013) – The American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) will celebrate its 45th Annual Education Conference designed to help neuroscience nurses explore the critical, evidence-based information of its specialty to support a wide range of patient conditions. In recognition of the field’s advances over the past 45 years, AANN’s official research publication, the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing (JNN), will introduce an iPad app edition at the meeting. The AANN Annual Educational Meeting takes place March 9-12 in Charlotte, North Carolina. JNN is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

“Digital access is part of our future and is increasingly how our members and practitioners want to access the Journal,” said V. Susan Carroll, MS, RN-BC, Editor of the JNN.  “We are pleased to launch the Journal app during our annual meeting, reinforcing our focus to make the JNN even more accessible to nurses and practitioners in today’s demanding, quickly-changing field.”

AANN’s 45th Annual Educational Meeting theme – Listen, Learn, Lead –is designed to explore the critical information of the specialty, which encompasses nursing care for patients suffering a wide range of conditions, including strokes, dementia, brain trauma and injuries, and neurological diseases. This aligns with the JNN’s focus to provide research and information that is directly applicable to neuroscience nursing practice, as evidenced in the March/April issue.  

For example, State of the Science: Use of Biomarkers and Imaging in Diagnosis and Management of Alzheimer Disease by Dierdre Brett Faller explores recent techniques that may soon allow a clinical diagnosis before the disease progresses to the point where symptoms become evident – when the benefits of treatment are limited. While still in the research stages, new methods to determine the disease’s pathology at earlier stages have the potential for an immense impact in clinical diagnosis and management.  For neuroscience nurses, this important research is key to putting the techniques into practice as they become more widely available, and being able to discuss them with patients and their families.         

Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases and Their Unique Cognitive Profiles: Implications for Nursing Practice and Research by David E. Vance, Joan E. Dodson, Jason Watkins, Bridgett H. Kennedy, and Norman L. Keltner, highlights the distinct ‘cognitive profiles’ of neurological and psychiatric diseases – which include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression, and anxiety disorders.  Knowledge of how these diseases impact a patient’s cognitive function and ability to interact in society helps nurses determine how well the patient may be able to manage important aspects of their care regimen, such as remembering to make appointments or take medications.  Overall, this understanding will help nurses provide the best care, tailored to the individual patient’s needs. 

“Both articles have a strong research and new practice implications focus,” says Carroll. “They directly reflect the quality content in the JNN, and show how the Journal is positioned to help every nurse provide the best patient care.”

JNN for the iPad is Convenient, Accessible

The March/April issue of the JNN is now available as a free download in the iTunes App Store.  Each issue, delivered in a state-of-the art digital format, provides an enhanced print-like reading experience.  Special features include the ability to share articles and content via email, videos, and podcasts.  The iPad app also provides links back to JNNOnline.com, the Journal website, where subscribers can search, access, complete continuing education opportunities, and read the full contents of every issue.

Subsequent issues of the JNN will be available on the iPad on the same bimonthly schedule as the current online and print editions.  Future supplements and special issues will also be posted for download as soon as they are published. During an initial trial period, all readers of the JNN for the iPad will have free full access to the current issue.  After this free introductory period, AANN members and subscribers will continue to enjoy full access via a simple login process.

About  the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing

The Journal of Neuroscience Nursing (JNN), the official journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, contains original articles on advances in neurosurgical and neurological techniques as they affect nursing care, theory and research, as well as commentary on the roles of the neuroscience nurse in the health care team.  The Journal provides information to nurses and health care professionals working in diverse areas of neuroscience patient care such as multi-specialty and neuroscience intensive care units, general neuroscience units, combination units (neuro/ortho, neuromuscular/rehabilitation, neuropsychiatry, neurogerontology), rehabilitation units, medical-surgical units, pediatric units, emergency and trauma departments, and surgery. The information is applicable to professionals working in clinical, research, administrative, and educational settings.

About the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN)

Founded in 1968, the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, an organization of more than 4,000 members worldwide, is committed to working for the highest standard of care for neuroscience patients by advancing the science and practice of neuroscience nursing. AANN accomplishes this through continuing education, information dissemination, standard setting, and advocacy on behalf of neuroscience patients, families, and nurses. AANN develops and supports nurses in providing excellence in care and promotes the neuroscience nursing specialty. As the leading authority in neuroscience nursing, AANN inspires passion in nurses and creates the future for the specialty.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes. LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Contacts:

Robert Dekker
Director of Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health
+1 (215) 521-8928
Robert.Dekker@wolterskluwer.com

Connie Hughes
Director, Marketing Communications
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research
+1 (646) 674-6348
Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com

Posted in Neuroscience, Nursing, Nursing - Administration Management & Leadership, Nursing - Practioner and Advanced Practice, Publications, Technology | Leave a comment