Clinical simulations, in a variety of forms, is a viable educational tool, allowing CSD students to acquire professional competencies and skills. Simucase is a computer-based simulation program designed for this objective. The goal of this study was to determine what elements of simulation engagement predicted success on a student's overall…

Background & aims: Due to the complexity of early diagnostic decision making, we examined the predictive value of an early diagnostic classification and early abilities on later best estimate diagnosis for 22 clinically referred children with language difficulties. Methods and procedures: Four years after initial evaluation (Time 1), the…

In my dissertation, I study unintended consequences of the adoption of EMR systems. In my three essays, I examine how the adoption of EMR systems affects neighboring hospitals (spillover effects), can be used by hospitals to further its objectives in an unconventional manner ("upcoding" of patient case mix data), and how EMR adoption may…

Family communication environments can be a facilitator or barrier to family cooperation and communication in collecting family health history (FHH) information, which can facilitate disease prevention. This study examined the direct and indirect effects of family communicative environments on whether individuals actively collected FHH information,…

Research suggests that physicians perform multiple reasoning tasks beyond diagnosis during patient review. However, these remain largely theoretical. The purpose of this study was to explore reasoning tasks in clinical practice during patient admission review. The authors used a constant comparative approach--an iterative and inductive process of…

Elucidating the heterogeneous etiologies of autism will require investment in comprehensive longitudinal data acquisition from large community based cohorts. With this in mind, we have established a hospital-university-based (HUB) database of autism which incorporates prospective and retrospective data from a large and ethnically diverse…

Aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums are impairing symptoms frequently experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Despite US Food and Drug Administration approval of two atypical antipsychotics targeting these symptoms in youth with autistic disorder, they remain frequently drug refractory. We define…

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is currently the only cure for sickle cell disease (SCD), but only a fraction of eligible children proceed to transplantation. We aimed to understand parental awareness and perceptions as a contributor. Purpose: To discuss HSCT with parents of children with SCD and assess their awareness…

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the diagnosis of childhood autism in the Danish Psychiatric Central Register (DPCR) by reviewing medical records from 499 of 504 total children with childhood autism born 1990-1999. Based on review of abstracted behaviors recorded in case records from child psychiatric hospitals, case status…

There is little information on the mental health needs of adults with intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Such evidence is much needed for the development of more effective mental health services for this group. The aim of this study is to compare adults with ID and ASD receiving specialist mental health services…

Introduction: Electronic knowledge resources have the potential to rapidly provide answers to clinicians' questions. We sought to determine clinicians' reasons for searching these resources, the rate of finding relevant information, and the perceived clinical impact of the information they retrieved. Methods: We asked general internists, family…

Background: This study compares outpatients with intellectual disability (ID) receiving specialised services to outpatients with ID receiving general services in Ontario's tertiary mental healthcare system in terms of demographics, symptom profile, strengths and resources, and clinical service needs. Methods: A secondary analysis of Colorado…

The purpose of this survey research was to determine the diffusion of digital radiography, the electronic oral health record (EOHR), digital intraoral photography, and diagnosis and clinical decision-making support software into the dental offices of Nevada. A cross-sectional survey design was utilized with a random sample of 600 Nevada dentists.…

Since the time of Hippocrates, professors in medical schools have been telling their students to listen to patients. Medical students and young doctors all come to realize that the medical history, the patient's account of his or her own illness, is the best source of information with which to make an accurate diagnosis. The physical examination,…