The way we currently practice medicine is unsustainable for patients, healthcare systems, societies, and the planet. It is estimated that a fifth of what we do in healthcare is not needed. All those unnecessary tests, treatments, and diagnoses bring direct harm to people through adverse [...]
As healthcare is responsible for 7% of Australia's carbon emissions, it was recognised that a policy implemented at St George Hospital, Sydney to reduce non-urgent pathology testing to two days per week and on other days only if essential, would also result in a reduction [...]
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is commonly used in some parts of the world for inhalation induction of anaesthesia, labour analgesia, and as an anaesthetic adjuvant. In recent years, there has been a reappraisal of anaesthetic N2O use, partly because of awareness of its environmental impact, coupled [...]
Supplemental screening with MRI or ultrasound increases cancer detection rate (CDR) in women with standard screening mammography. Whether it also reduces interval cancer rate (ICR) is unclear. This study reviewed the evidence evaluating the effect of supplemental imaging on ICR in women undergoing screening mammography.
This systematic review of 21 studies identified that positive screening attitudes and gaining knowledge and reassurance were associated with the decision to undergo screening, whereas negative screening attitudes and not wanting to know whether one has cancer were associated with the decision to forgo screening. [...]
Patient-led surveillance is a promising new model of follow-up care after excision of localized melanoma; a larger randomized clinical trial will evaluate comparative effects on important health, psychological, and resource use outcomes.
Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for interpreting mammograms have the potential to improve the effectiveness of population breast cancer screening programmes if they can detect cancers, including interval cancers, without contributing substantially to overdiagnosis. Studies suggesting that AI has comparable or greater accuracy than radiologists commonly [...]
Population-based mammographic screening programmes aim to reduce breast cancer mortality through early detection of the disease. Contemporary screening programmes increasingly value women’s autonomy and endorse the notion that women ought to be supported in making an informed choice whether to participate. To this end, the [...]
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women. A study of the temporal trends (1998–2012) in the age-standardised incidence rate in 41 countries showed that increased BC incidence rates had occurred in pre- and post-menopausal women. However, increases exclusively in premenopausal ages were [...]
To compare and contrast the diagnostic codes for spinal causes of low back pain (LBP) in 3 disease classification systems (International Classification of Diseases [ICD]-10, International Classification of Primary Care [ICPC]-2 PLUS and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms - Australia [SNOMED CT-AU]) and consider [...]