Practice and costs of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in an oncological unit.

BACKGROUND: Cancer related anemia impairs patient functioning. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and erythropoietin (EPO) may relieve fatigue. Cost-effectiveness data have been requested. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All transfusions administered at the Department of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway (UNN) in 2005 were analysed, with a total of 118 patients entering the study. A cost of transfusion analysis was added and a sensitivity analysis conducted to clarify robustness. The 118 patients received 613 units of erythrocytes. In 6% of cases, the transfusion was the only cause of a hospital visit. One fourth of patients had bone marrow infiltration and two-thirds had undergone chemotherapy. The mean Hb levels of patients prior to and following transfusion were in the range 8.4-8.8 g/dl and 10.2-10.6 g/dl, respectively; one-third reached a non-anemic level (Hb > or = 11.0 g/dl). The median time interval between transfusions was three weeks and the annual cost was calculated at Euro 1,069/patient. CONCLUSION: RBC-transfusion has a low cost.

The Websites of Norwegian hospitals: do they meet national guidelines and patient's expectations?

In 2001, the Norwegian National Health Administration introduced a system that allows patients to choose the public hospital at which they are to be treated. This increased the importance of hospital Websites, as they are used by patients to select a service. In 2002 we rated the Websites of general hospitals in Norway in two ways. Rating 1 was based on a Norwegian set of quality criteria for Websites; 16 items were evaluated to give a maximum score of 32. For rating 2, we used the top five items ranked by cancer patients or their relatives in a previous study, which were weighted and gave a maximum score of 27. Fifty-four (82%) of the 66 public general hospitals in Norway had a Website on the Internet. Information about departments and treatments offered was sparse. Information on prices was almost completely absent. About a third of the Websites were searchable. Quality, as scored by summing ratings 1 and 2, was related to the type of hospital. The mean scores were: university hospitals, 38.8; central hospitals, 30.3; local hospitals, 29.2; and other hospitals, 21.1. On the whole, the hospitals' Websites were not impressive, in view of the competition between hospitals for patients.

Information and communication technology (ICT) in oncology. Patients' and relatives' experiences and suggestions.

Cancer patients and relatives worldwide are turning more and more to the internet to obtain health information. The goal of this survey was to clarify their experiences and suggestions on the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) in oncology. A total of 127 patients and 60 relatives visiting the outpatient clinic at the Department of Oncology, University of North Norway (UNN), the regional office of the Norwegian Cancer Union (NCU) and the Montebello Centre were included in a questionnaire-based study. Participants were recruited during the period September 2001 to February 2002. There were 92 women and 95 men. We revealed that hospital doctors, followed by nurses and friends, were the most important informants. Two-thirds of patients and relatives had access to the internet, but fewer than one-third had searched the internet for medical information and only one-fifth had discussed information accessed with their doctor. Only one-tenth had visited a hospital website. Internet access was correlated with young age. Almost two-thirds suggested that e-mail and/or WAP (wireless application protocol) communication should be included in hospital-patient communication. Concerning hospital websites, waiting time, treatment offer and addresses were considered the top three topics of interest. In conclusion, the majority of cancer patients and relatives have access to the internet. They recommend ICT employed in patient-hospital communication and suggest waiting time, treatment offers and addresses the three most important topics on hospital websites.