[Management of time used to treat the chronic patient: a new approach to improve quality of health care]. / Gestión del tiempo de asistencia al paciente crónico: un nuevo enfoque para mejorar la calidad asistencial.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic disease is the main epidemic of the 21st century. It takes up a large part of the social-health budgets that are dedicated to its care. The aim of this study is to analyze if the welfare quality in the management of the chronic patients improves by implementing non-contact care time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intervention study conducted in the health care center of Orcasitas (January 2012 - September 2013) in patients with hypertension (357), diabetes (180) and/or ischemic heart disease (60). Health care quality was analyzed through the effectiveness in the program, Tracking Objectives in Primary Care. The intervention group had four physical 10minute consultations/year and three non-physical 10minute consultations/year. The patients in the control group were seen as usual. The data were compared using the McNemar test, chi-square and Cochran's Q test. RESULTS: In the intervention group, the effectiveness increased in the analyzed period by 46%, 54% and 55.9%, respectively, for processes of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia control in ischemic heart disease, whereas in the control group (community of Madrid) it was 2.54%, 1.78%, and 5.44%, respectively, for these processes (statistically significant differences [χ(2)=24.78; χ(2)=39.9 y χ(2)=67.3, P<.0001]). CONCLUSIONS: Thirty minutes/year of non-presential care represents a significant change in the level of control of chronic patients. These results should be considered in the approach strategies to chronic diseases.

[Comparative study of pneumotonometer and Goldmann tonometer for screening high intraocular pressure in primary care]. / Estudio comparativo del neumotonómetro respecto al tonómetro de Goldmann para el cribado de presión intraocular (PIO) elevada en atención primaria.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of reliability of measurements of IOP obtained with air-puff noncontact tonometer respect the obtained with the conventional Goldmann tonometer. As well, analysis of the possibility of a higher difference between the measurements by both methods respect the fact of being myope or hypermetrope. DESIGN: Comparative study of two measurement methods. SETTING: General ophthalmology clinic and primary care clinic of our sanitary area. PATIENTS: Aleatory sample among the patients who went to the general ophthalmology clinic for any cause from the first of May to the thirtieth of June of 1996. The patients with predisposing processes for glaucoma were excluded, as well as those who suffered ocular surgery or those who took drugs which influenced the IOP. INTERVENTIONS: The ophthalmologist made three measurements of IOP in each eye and the sight of all the patients were tested. The arithmetic average was made among every three measurements. The physician of primary care made three measurements of IOP in each eye with the air-puff noncontact tonometer, and the arithmetic average was made. RESULTS: 81 patients were included, from whom 7 presented high IOP. The sensibility of the air-puff noncontact tonometer, compared with Goldmann tonometer, was 86% (95% CI, 18.20-99.63%), and the specificity 84% (95% CI, 89.66-78.08%). The air-puff noncontact tonometer obtained measurements between 1.116 and 2.008 mmHg higher than the Goldman tonometer. This difference, worthless from the clinic point of view, didn't find a relationship with the fact of being myope or hypermetrope. It was found a positive lineal association between the measurements made by both methods, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8086 (p < 0.001, 95% CI, 0.7476-0.8560). CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained are similar to the ones of other published series. A tendency of higher measurements with the air-puff noncontact tonometer is observed. It hasn't been observed a higher difference between both methods in myopes. The air-puff tonometer is a valid reliable technique to be used in primary care, it is easy to use, it doesn't transmit infectious illnesses, and it isn't necessary to use anaesthetic or staining eyedrops.