Cancellation of Elective Cases in a Recently Opened, Tertiary/Quaternary-Level Hospital in the Middle East.

Case cancellations have a negative financial impact due to revenue loss and the potential costs of underutilized time. The goals of this study at a recently opened hospital in the Middle East were to measure the cancellation rates for elective surgical or endoscopic cases and to identify the reasons for cancellation. During the 1-month study period, 170 (22.4%) of the 760 scheduled cases were cancelled. Cultural norms and patient no-shows on the day of surgery accounted for the majority of case cancellations. Understanding local factors on hospital functions may be vital for organizations expanding into new geographic areas.

Association between hepatitis C virus and opioid use while in buprenorphine treatment: preliminary findings.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hepatitis-C-virus (HCV) infections is high among opioid-dependent individuals. Prior research on the simultaneous treatment of both conditions has primarily assessed success as it pertains to HCV. However, it has been noted that favorable substance use therapy outcomes may improve the likelihood of HCV-treatment initiation and success. Therefore, current guidelines for the treatment of HCV among illicit drug users suggest that treatment for addiction be given the highest priority. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether opioid-dependent participants in a clinical trial of buprenorphine-treatment tapering regimens, who tested positive for the HCV antibody, experienced significantly different levels of opioid abstinence than those not infected. METHODS: Data came from the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trial Network study 0003. 516 eligible opioid-dependent participants were randomized to either a 7-day or 28-day buprenorphine tapering schedule following a 4-week buprenorphine stabilization period. Generalized estimating equations were used to test the research question. RESULTS: Participants with the HCV antibody were significantly less likely to submit opioid-negative urine analyses during and/or immediately following active treatment [OR = 0.69; CI = 0.51-0.93], indicating a higher rate of opioid use among this group. CONCLUSION: Individualized opioid-dependence treatment strategies may be required for opioid-dependent individuals who test positive for the HCV antibody in order to ensure resources for both opioid-dependence and HCV therapies are used efficiently.