A survey of medical students at the University of California-Irvine, California College of Medicine regarding their views on the Medicare and Medicaid programs and the problem of fraud and abuse in these programs is reported. Explanations for fraud and abuse focused on physicians' attitudes and motivations. (Author/MLW)

Information is presented on a number of tests used in genetic counseling (e.g., genetic evaluation, chromosome evaluation, consideration of multifactorial conditions, prenatal testing, and chorionic villus sampling) which help parents with one disabled child make family planning decisions. (CB)

Examined models for predicting treatment decisions of physicians, nurses, and social workers within acute and long-term care settings. Elicited treatment choices to vignettes regarding decisions to allocate scarce medical resource and to withhold treatment from debilitated patient. Primarily medical factors predicted decision to allocate…

The paper examines ethical issues in the transplantation of organs from infants with anencephaly into infants with severe heart and kidney disease. It argues that active euthanasia of infants with anencephaly should be prohibited to safeguard the rights of all persons with severe neurological disabilities. (Author/DB)

Reviews the historical background, standards, the issue of day treatment versus day care, functional issues, specialization, efficacy and cost effectiveness, utilization issues, and alternative models of care of partial hospitalization programs in North America. Emphasizes issues of relevance when planning alternative programs to inpatient…

After identifying four medical specialty services in a hospital where patient lengths of stay were excessive, two educational interventions to decrease the time were developed. In meetings with each physician data on lengths of stay were discussed, and then a continuing education meeting was held. Improved efficiency resulted. (Author/MLW)

A father writes about his six-year-old son born with hydrocephalus. He describes such day-to-day experiences as going to a baseball game and the grocery store, reactions of friends and strangers to his son's social interactions, and a special day at preschool. The boy's medical treatment, including surgeries, are also described. (VW)

The University of Southern California School of Dentistry opened an evening dental clinic to accommodate patient scheduling needs. It found that faculty and students overwhelmingly supported the clinic hours and that a new clientele emerged. (MSE)

Specified within the role of school psychologists is provision of liaison services between education and outside agencies, including medical services. This article provides an examination of information available and serves school psychologists in their role as liaison between the schools and the medical community. (Author/LMO)

The present status of the ophthalmologist, optician, and optometric technician in the health care delivery system is examined, and projections about the role and scope of services in 2000 are discussed. (MSE)

This article describes a rural teenage pregnancy program and compares the pregnancy outcomes to 60 matched nonparticipants. The study determined a relationship existed between program participation and maternal complications, birth weight, gestational age, Apgar score, and perinatal morbidity. (Author/MT)

The ethical challenge to academic medical centers is to find a balance between education and research, addressing such issues as serving the unsponsored patient, the cost of new technology, and balancing acute and primary care as well as educating future physicians. (MSE)

The "Tatro" decision, which affirmed the need for school health services and distinguished between medical and school health services for handicapped students, is discussed in terms of what services can be included--and expected--as part of a handicapped child's public education, particularly within the individualized education plan. (CB)

Marquette University's experience with two extramural clinics are described. Students spend six weeks at these sites, primarily to involve them in assessing and caring for the dental health needs of patients whose ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds are different from the populations at a clinic on campus. (MLW)

House medical staff of the University of California, Davis, Medical Center were administered a questionnaire to determine their knowledge of relevant medical-legal principles. Responses from 111 house staff indicated that pediatrics, physical medicine, and rehabilitation staff confronted more medical-legal issues than pathology staff. (SW)