On the Performance of Decode-and-Forward Equal-Gain-Combining Relay Systems over Weibull Fading Channels.

Relay-assisted wireless communications, where both the relay and the final destiny employ diversity-combining techniques, represent a compelling strategy for improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for mobile terminals, mainly at millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency bands. In this sense, this work considers a wireless network that employs a dual-hop decode-and-forward (DF) relaying protocol, in which the receivers at the relay and at the base station (BS) use an antenna array. Moreover, it is considered that the received signals are combined at reception using equal-gain-combining (EGC). Recent works have enthusiastically employed the Weibull distribution so as to emulate the small-scale fading behavior in mmWave frequencies, which also motivates its use in the present work. For this scenario, exact and asymptotic expressions for the system's outage probability (OP) and average bit error probability (ABEP) are derived in closed form. Useful insights are gained from these expressions. More precisely, they illustrate how the system and fading parameters affect the performance of the DF-EGC system. Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the accuracy and validity of the derived expressions. Furthermore, the mean achievable rate of the considered system is also evaluated via simulations. Useful insights regarding the system performance are obtained from these numerical results.

Analysis of the experience of the geriatric fracture program in two institutions in Colombia: a reproducible model? / Análisis de la experiencia del programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia: ¿un modelo reproducible?

Abstract Background: hip fracture is the major cause of morbidity and mortality. Geriatric fracture programs promise to improve the quality of care, health outcomes and reduce costs. Objective: To describe the results related to the Geriatric fracture programs implementation in two Colombian institutions to assess reproducibility. Methods: We performed A retrospective descriptive study of the patients treated under the Geriatric fracture programs in two institutions in Colombia. The information was collected from the initial year of implementation until 2018. Demographic characteristics, length of stay, hospitalization complications, readmissions and mortality were described. Consumption of healthcare resources was defined using base cases determined with local experts and costs were estimated using standard methods. Results: 475 patients were included in the Geriatric fracture programs. We observed an increase in the number of patients. The length of stay decreased between 8.5% and 26.1% as did the proportion of total complications, with delirium having the greatest reduction. A similar situation was seen for first year mortality (from 10.9% to 4.7%), in-hospital deaths and readmissions. Estimates of costs of stay and complications showed reductions in all scenarios, varying between 22% and 68.3%. Conclusions: The present study presents the experience of two institutions that implemented the Geriatric fracture programs with increase in the number of patients treated and reductions in the time of hospital stay, the proportion of complications, readmissions, mortality and estimated costs. These are similar between both institutions and with other published implementations. This could hint that geriatric fracture program may be implemented with reproducible results.

Resumen Antecedentes: las fracturas de cadera son una causa importante de morbilidad y mortalidad. Los programas de fracturas geriátricas prometen mejorar la calidad de la atención, los desenlaces clínicos y reducir costos, Objetivos: Describir los resultados relacionados con la implementación de un programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia para evaluar la reproducibilidad Métodos: Realizamos un estudio retrospectivo descriptivo de los pacientes atendidos en el programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia. Se obtuvo información desde el año de implementación hasta 2018. Se describió información demográfica, de estancia hospitalaria, de complicaciones, de rehospitalizaciones y de mortalidad. Se determinó un caso base de consumo de recursos con expertos y se costeó usando métodos estandarizados. Resultados: Se incluyeron 475 pacientes. Se observó un aumento en la cantidad de pacientes. La duración de estancia disminuyó entre 8.5% y 26.1%, así como la frecuencia de complicaciones. Se encontraron reducciones en mortalidad en el primer año (entre 10.9% y 4.7%), muertes hospitalarias y rehospitalizaciones. Los costos estimados mostraron reducciones entre 22% y 68.3%. Conclusiones: El presente estudio muestra la experiencia de implementación de programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia, mostrando aumento en cantidades de pacientes y reducciones en estancia hospitalaria, frecuencia de complicaciones, rehospitalizaciones, mortalidad y costos estimados. Los resultados fueron similares en las dos instituciones y comparables con otros descritos en literatura. Esto sugiero que los programas de fracturas geriátricas se pueden implementar con resultados reproducibles.

Analysis of the experience of the geriatric fracture program in two institutions in Colombia: a reproducible model?

Background: hip fracture is the major cause of morbidity and mortality. Geriatric fracture programs promise to improve the quality of care, health outcomes and reduce costs. Objective: To describe the results related to the Geriatric fracture programs implementation in two Colombian institutions to assess reproducibility. Methods: We performed A retrospective descriptive study of the patients treated under the Geriatric fracture programs in two institutions in Colombia. The information was collected from the initial year of implementation until 2018. Demographic characteristics, length of stay, hospitalization complications, readmissions and mortality were described. Consumption of healthcare resources was defined using base cases determined with local experts and costs were estimated using standard methods. Results: 475 patients were included in the Geriatric fracture programs. We observed an increase in the number of patients. The length of stay decreased between 8.5% and 26.1% as did the proportion of total complications, with delirium having the greatest reduction. A similar situation was seen for first year mortality (from 10.9% to 4.7%), in-hospital deaths and readmissions. Estimates of costs of stay and complications showed reductions in all scenarios, varying between 22% and 68.3%. Conclusions: The present study presents the experience of two institutions that implemented the Geriatric fracture programs with increase in the number of patients treated and reductions in the time of hospital stay, the proportion of complications, readmissions, mortality and estimated costs. These are similar between both institutions and with other published implementations. This could hint that geriatric fracture program may be implemented with reproducible results.

Antecedentes: las fracturas de cadera son una causa importante de morbilidad y mortalidad. Los programas de fracturas geriátricas prometen mejorar la calidad de la atención, los desenlaces clínicos y reducir costos. Objetivos: Describir los resultados relacionados con la implementación de un programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia para evaluar la reproducibilidad. Métodos: Realizamos un estudio retrospectivo descriptivo de los pacientes atendidos en el programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia. Se obtuvo información desde el año de implementación hasta 2018. Se describió información demográfica, de estancia hospitalaria, de complicaciones, de rehospitalizaciones y de mortalidad. Se determinó un caso base de consumo de recursos con expertos y se costeó usando métodos estandarizados. Resultados: Se incluyeron 475 pacientes. Se observó un aumento en la cantidad de pacientes. La duración de estancia disminuyó entre 8.5% y 26.1%, así como la frecuencia de complicaciones. Se encontraron reducciones en mortalidad en el primer año (entre 10.9% y 4.7%), muertes hospitalarias y rehospitalizaciones. Los costos estimados mostraron reducciones entre 22% y 68.3%. Conclusiones: El presente estudio muestra la experiencia de implementación de programa de fracturas geriátricas en dos instituciones en Colombia, mostrando aumento en cantidades de pacientes y reducciones en estancia hospitalaria, frecuencia de complicaciones, rehospitalizaciones, mortalidad y costos estimados. Los resultados fueron similares en las dos instituciones y comparables con otros descritos en literatura. Esto sugiero que los programas de fracturas geriátricas se pueden implementar con resultados reproducibles.