Comparison of Oral Manifestations in Hospitalized COVID-19 Positive Patients and COVID-19 Negative Dental Outpatients. A Case Series Study and Literature Review

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infectious disease, also named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which can cause various systemic manifestations that pose a threat to human life. Oral lesions in patients with COVID-19 may appear during or after the illness and may or may not be a consequence of the viral infection. Objective: In this case series we compare the oral manifestations in hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients and COVID-19 negative dental outpatients. Methods: 60 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 41 control patients, were examined for oral signs and symptoms. The controls were dental patients who visited the hospital for dental care without complaining of any problems related to the oral cavity itself. Results: We have observed a strong association between certain clinical findings and COVID-19, including alterations in taste (ageusia, dysgeusia, and hypogeusia), anosmia, hairy tongue, tongue imprints, red tongue, erythematous candidiasis, pseudomembranous candidiasis, and exfoliative cheilitis. A trend but not statistically significant association at the level of 5% was also noted for colored tongue, linea alba, and pale mucosa. On the contrary, fissured tongue and oral mucosa pigmentation were more frequent in the controls, statistically significant at the level of 5%. Conclusion: COVID-19 has been found to impact the oral cavity, resulting in various oral lesions that can be attributed to either the direct action of the virus or the patient’s immune response.

Neonatal Death Rates: Lack of Equal Access to Hospital Obstetric Service and Intensive Therapy

Aim: To identify the association between access to obstetric and neonatal hospital service and neonatal death rates. Method: Quantitative and retrospective research retrieved from Declaration of Live Newly-born Children;Declaration of Death;Investigation Chart on Municipal Child Mortality, between 2000 and 2009, at the Nucleus of Information on Mortality Rates. The population studied comprised 537 neonatal deaths and mothers with residence in the municipality, and investigated by the work team of the Committee for the Investigation of Mother-Child Deaths. Data were analyzed in Epi Info 2002? computer program and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences? was used. Chi-square Test and Fischer’s Exact Test were applied at p < 0.05. Results: 63.7% of 537 neonates were born in hospitals with maternities and neonatal intensive therapy unit;60.7% weighed ≤1.500 grams;76.7% had a pregnancy age of ≤36 weeks;73% died of asphyxia in the 1st minute and 73.5% died during the perinatal period. Throughout the ten years of analysis, access to hospital obstetric service without NITU reduced death rate from 25% in 2000 to 6.8% in 2009. There was a significant statistical association between place of delivery and maternal socio-demographic variables (maternal age bracket p = 0.028;schooling p = 0.000;family income p = 0.000);occupation p = 0.000) and neonatal variables (race/skin color p = 0.007;type of delivery p = 0.000;weight at birth p = 0.000;pregnancy age p = 0.000 and Apgar Score 1st minute p = 0.000 and Apgar Score 5th minute p = 0.007). Conclusion: Although the municipal government provides obstetric services and specialized neonatal care, this right is not extensive to all;gaps at different levels in mother-child care should be identified to reduce neonatal deaths.

Fever Outpatient Service of General Hospital Applies “1 + 3 + 3” Emergency Management Mode to Deal with COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: To discuss the effect of “1 + 3 + 3” emergency management mode to deal with COVID-19 pandemic in fever outpatient service of general hospitals. Method: This paper analyzes and summarizes the problems encountered by fever outpatient service in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic from three aspects of “One Team”, “Three-Key” Control and “Three Mosts”. Results: The application of “1 + 3 + 3” emergency management mode can effectively boost the orderliness and efficiency of fever outpatient service in dealing with COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The “1 + 3 + 3” emergency management mode provides a new management mode and idea for dealing with COVID-19 pandemic, so the fever outpatient service of general hospitals can better improve the national overall anti-pandemic situation.

Perception of the Hospital Nutrition Service by Internal Clients: Example of the Results Obtained in the Area of Production of Pediatric Formulas and Enteral Diets

Aim: Client perception was important to indicate points requiring interventions or adjustments and to permit refinement of the services offered. This study aimed to determine the perception of internal clients regarding the quality of the service after integrating these items into the system of electronic prescription. Methods: We applied a questionnaire elaborated based on the SERVQUAL about the five dimensions of service quality (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, safety, and empathy) with adaptation of the four-point Likert scale, ranging from “I fully disagree” to “I fully agree”. Results: The instrument was applied to 138 professionals, with a 56% return. Analysis revealed that the strong points were related to tangibility, safety and empathy, while the aspects related to reliability showed a lower score regarding time of delivery, occurrences and waste, and those related to responsiveness showed a lower score regarding service to be provided in a timely manner. The Cronbach Alpha Coefficient indicated that the investigation had a high degree of consistency and that the results could be considered reliable. Conclusion: Application of the adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire revealed that the perception of internal clients about the five quality dimensions after the changes made and provided valuable information for the scoring of aspects that still needed adjustment to improve interventions.

Nurses’ Experiences in Service Provision a COVID-19 Dedicated Tertiary Public Hospital

Objectives: To assess the nurses’ experiences in service provision a COVID-19 dedicated tertiary public hospital. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in one tertiary level public hospital namely Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Dhaka, Bangladesh from January to December 2021. Data were collected through face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire containing demographic details and experiences faced by the nurses in service provision during COVID-19. Data was analysed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) software version 23. Results: The findings revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 32.35 ± 7.248 years, the minimum age was 23 years and maximum age was 58 years. About half of the respondents 52.1% were in 21 - 30 years. The majorities 89% were female. More than half of the respondents 72.6% were Muslim and 63.83% of respondents have completed Diploma in nursing. About 32.2% respondents were living with senior citizen, 33% respondents were infected by COVID-19, 24.23% respondent mentioned nurse-Patient ratio in general ward was 1:7 and 71.08% mentioned nurse-patient ratio in I.C.U/C.C.U. was 1:3 (December 2021). PPE were available among 88.0% respondents and N95 mask were available among 84.0% respondent. About 34.8% respondents got COVID-19 guideline training and 32.4% got donning and doffing training. More than half of the respondents 76% stated that equipment is adequate, 56.38% respondents mention that insufficient of nurses and 53.7% were mentioned insufficient of subordinate staff. About 22.6% respondents faced social stigma and majorities 96.5% respondents mentioned they got proper family support. There was a significant association found between Professional educational qualification and satisfaction of current designation (p value = 0.001 Conclusion: The most important findings of this study was lack of training, insufficient of manpower especially nurses and subordinate staff, high nurse-patient ratio and fear about personal and family safety. The findings of the study will be helpful for the authority in planning for future course of action.

The 55th anniversary of continuous service of the hospital

The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang UniversitySchool of Medicine, Hangzhou, China was found-ed by the noted scientist Ke-Zhen Zhu in 1947 andNovember 2002 represents the 55th anniversary ofcontinuous service of the hospital. We mark the oc-casion with a brief introduction to the hospital. With 1638 staff members including over 300senior doctors and nurse specialists, the hospitalconsisting of 33 clinical, 23 technical departmentsand 1280 beds deals with around one million outpa-tients, 20 thousand inpatients and 12 thousand oper-ations per year. Located in the hospital are severalimportant national institutes such as Laboratory of In-fectious Diseases, Laboratory of Multi-Organ Trans-plantation, Center of Clinical Pharmacology in addi-

Evaluating patients' perception of service quality at hospitals in nine Chinese cities by use of the ServQual scale

Objective: To investigate patients' perception of service quality at hospitals in nine Chinese cities and propose some measures for improvement. Methods: The ServQ ual scale method was used in a survey involving patients at out-patient and in-patient facilities in Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanning, Guilin and Laibin of Guangxi, Honghezhou of Yunnan, Wulumuqi of Xinjiang and Zhongshan of Guangdong. The data collected were entered and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, factor analyses, reliability analyses, product-moment correlations, independent-sample t-tests, One-way ANOVA and regression analyses. Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value for the factor analysis of the scale was 0.979. The Cronbach's α for the reliability analysis was 0.978. All the Pearson correlation coei cients were positive and statistically signii cant. Visitors to out-patient facilities reported more positive perception tacilities on tangibles(t = 4.168, P(t = 1.979, P <han visitors to in-patient f 0.05). Patients of 60 years of age and above reported mor< 0.001) and reliability e positive perception th<an those between 40 and 49 on reliability(F = 3.311, P = 0.010), assurances(F = 2.751, P 0.05) and empathy(F = 4.009, P = 0.003). For the i ve dimensions of the scale, patients in Laibin, Guangxi reported the most positive perceived service quality, followed by patients in Shanghai. On the other hand, patients in Chongqing and Nanning and Guilin of Guangxi reported relatively poor perceptions of service quality. Standardized regression coei cients showed statistically significant(P < 0.001) positive values for all Serv Qual dimensions. Empathy(β = 0.267) and reliability(β uality. = 0.239) most strongly predicted perception of service qConclusions: Chinese patients perceived service quality as satisfactory. Hospitals in various regions of China should enhance their awareness and ability to serve their patients.

Effect of Physical Activity on Hospital Service Use and Expenditures of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: Results from Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort Study in China

The intervention of behaviors, including physical activity (PA), has become a strategy for many hospitals dealing with patients with chronic diseases. Given the limited evidence available about PA and healthcare use with chronic diseases, this study explored the association between different levels of PA and annual hospital service use and expenditure for inpatients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in China. We analyzed PA information from the first follow-up survey (2013) of the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort study of 1460 CHD inpatients. We examined factors such as PA exercise volume and years of PA and their associations with the number of inpatient visits, number of hospital days, and inpatient costs and total medical costs. We found that the number of hospital days and the number of inpatient visits were negatively associated with intensity of PA level. Similarly, total inpatient and outpatient costs declined when the PA exercise volume levels increased. Furthermore, there were also significant associations between the number of hospital days, inpatient costs or total medical costs and levels of PA years. This study provides the first empirical evidence about the effects of the intensity and years of PA on hospital service use and expenditure of CHD in China. It suggests that the patients' PA, especially the vigorous PA, should be promoted widely to the public and patients in order to relieve the financial burden of CHD.

Service Delivery Factors That Influence Utilization of HIV Integrated Primary Health Care Programme in Embu Referral Hospital, Kenya

Globally, there are approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV. Integration of HIV treatment with primary care services improves effectiveness, efficiency and equity in service delivery. The study sought to establish service delivery factors that influenced utilization of integrated HIV and primary health care services in Embu Teaching and Referral hospital. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data at a specific period and point of time from a sample of 302 seropositive clients who were selected using simple random method. Data collection tool was structured and semi-structured questionnaire. The tool was reliable at Cronbach’s alpha of 0.817. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze the data. A binary logistic regression model was used to predict the relationship between service delivery and utilization of integrated services. Results: Majority of the respondents (59.6%) were aged over 35 years with majority being female (58.9%) and the married were 57.6% of the total sample. On service delivery factors, majority (94.7%) felt that their health status had improved. Action taken when clients developed side effects, 78.8% reported that the drugs were changed. Action taken following drug side effects significantly affected utilization, χ2 = 1.305, p = 0.001, df = 1. The findings showed that waiting time significantly influenced utilization, χ2 = 9.284, df = 1, p = 0.002. Source of information on self care also significantly influenced utilization, χ2 = 10.689, df = 1, p = 0.001. Kind of treatment at the facility also significantly influenced utilization, χ2 = 5.713, p = 0.048. Conclusion: significant factors that influenced utilization of integrated services were source of health care information, secondly waiting time was another factor which influenced utilization. Majority of the respondents were satisfied with duration of time they take before they were served;they reported to take utmost 1 hour to be attended to and action taken by health care provider following side effects was another factor that influenced the utilization.

Investigation of Antibiotic Use at a Dental Teaching Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: A Review from Guidelines

Objective: To investigate prescription of antibiotics by dental practitioners at a dental teaching hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and to establish whether it conforms to major guidelines. Methods: A cross-sectional study of adult outpatients’ medical records was conducted in order to scrutinize antibiotic prescriptions. The results were compared with recommendations in four published guidelines. Results: Dental practitioners prescribed a wide range of antibiotics to treat 121 diagnoses. Amoxicillin (78.8%) was most commonly prescribed, followed by clindamycin (9.9%), metronidazole (5.0%), and lincomycin (2.1%). Among all prescriptions, 79.5% were for generic antibiotics. The most common diagnoses were dental pulp gangrene followed by dental pulp necrosis (26.7% and 8.8%, respectively). According to guidelines-1 through-4, the percentages of antibiotic prescriptions that were evaluated as appropriate for the reported diagnosis were 15.1%, 7.2%, 7.5%, and 16.3%, respectively. However, 9.9%, 84.0%, 83.7% and 67.8% of prescriptions could not be classified as appropriate or inappropriate because the respective guidelines neither listed the antibiotic nor gave statement regarding appropriate indications. Conclusion: Our results suggest that significant inappropriate antibiotic prescribing occurred at a dental teaching hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, according to major antibiotics guidelines. However, the four guidelines failed to list some antibiotics, failed to list indications for prescription in some cases, and were inconsistent in their recommendations. There is a need to introduce specific institutional guidelines. Our findings should be helpful for developing public health policy guidelines to minimize inappropriate antibiotic prescribing at dental hospitals.

COVID-19 pandemic,as experienced in the surgical service of a district hospital in Spain

The coronavirus disease 2019,which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan,China,and has since spread rapidly,evolving into a full-blown pandemic.We would like to report our experience after 1 year of this pandemic in the surgical service of a district hospital in Spain.There have been many changes(including new protocols)that our service and the hospital have undergone,to adapt to the new situation.We believe that this experience can be useful for other professionals who have lived and are living a similar situation.

The Impact of Total Quality Management on Health Services Improvement, Sana’a Hospitals, Yemen (2017-2020)

Background: Total quality management (TQM) plays a major role in quality health services improvement. The aims of the study are to identify the concepts of total quality management in health institutions to know the nature of the relationship between the application of TQM and improving the quality of health services in Sana’a Governorate. Method: This applied research is a descriptive cross-sectional study in which the TQM of 13 affiliated Sana’a Governorate hospitals during “2017-2020”, were evaluated based on self-administered questionnaires. Data were collected by questionnaires including demographical variables, TQM dimensions variables. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 16. Results: A total of 281 users 98.6% had responded. The employee’s responses for sixth study dimensions were the top manager’s commitment (TMC) 80.46%, customers focusing CF 81.55%, continuous improvement (CI) 82.32%, training (T) 71.51%, and strategic planning of the quality (SPQ) 74.76%, health services quality improvement (HSQI) 74.25%. There is a strong relationship between TQM and HSQI. There is no relationship between demographic factors gender, profession, years of experience, except age with TMC, T, HSQI, qualification with the TMC, CI, T, HSQI and job with all study variables. Conclusion: The application of TQM at hospitals in quality of health services improvement has several challenges, lacking staff experience and lacking leadership support, weakness of the training, customers focusing, continuous improvement, and strategic planning of the quality. Therefore, benefiting from the experiences of leading hospitals in implementing total quality management programs by sending some cadres to these hospitals for training and gaining experience or by hosting experienced cadres to conduct training courses is recommended.

The discussion on the impact of medical service charge standard adjustment on public hospital’s income

[目的] 探讨天津市公立医院综合改革实施意见的颁布及实施后对医院医疗总收入情况的影响. [方法]对天津市7 8家医院2015年相关数据进行调价改革测算和对比分析.[结果]医疗总收入总量得到了控 制,收入结构进行了调整,药品收入占总收入比例由48. 97 %下降到43.45%.[结论]改革的实施,提高了医 疗服务价格的含金量,有助于促进医疗技术水平的提升.但还存在着价格调整不均X 、患者费用增长不平衡、 病源流动性等问题.

Pharmacy Service in Private Hospitals: Problems and Countermeasures

Objective To improve the quality of pharmacy service in private hospitals on the background of the fact that hospital pharmacy service is an important guarantee to promote rational drug use and the government encourages social capital to enter the field of pharmacy and healthcare, therefore, private hospitals are facing a new stage of development. Methods Questionnaire survey was used to sample and analyze 10 representative private hospitals in local area, and comparisons were made with the status of pharmacy service in level 3 public hospitals. Results and Conclusion It can be found that private hospitals have many problems in pharmacy services, such as the low level of professional skills of pharmaceutical personnel, low recognition and trust from patients, and the imperfect pharmaceutical management system. Some countermeasures and suggestions are put forward to promote the level of pharmacy services in private hospitals on the basis of this study.

Assessing Biomedical Solid and Liquid Waste Management in University Hospital Centers (CHU) in Togo, 2021

Introduction. Biomedical waste represents an environmental concern and a risk to healthcare workers, users of healthcare services, and the surrounding population. This study aimed to assess the management of solid and liquid biomedical waste in University Hospitals Centers (UHC) in Togo in 2021. Methods. This is a cross-sectional, evaluative and analytical study undertaken in 2021. It involved 3 UHCs, 25 departments, 340 care providers and departments randomly selected, 72 directors or deputies, supervisors and heads of departments, 27 collection and incineration agents selected by a reasoned choice technique, and 44 patients and attendants selected by an accidental choice technique. Data analysis was done using Pearson’s Chi2 statistical test for comparing proportions and logistic regression. Results. Solid and liquid waste management was “poor” due to non-use of waste management guidelines (ORa = 3.50;p = 0.0000), insufficient training of healthcare providers and collection agents (ORa = 6.55;p = 0.0000 and ORa = 6.08;p = 0.0000 respectively), insufficient user awareness sessions (ORa = 4.04;p = 0.0001), insufficient coordination of activities (ORa = 5.07;p = 0.0002), insufficient supervision of service providers and collection agents (ORa = 2.34;p = 0.0000), insufficient monitoring and follow-up of activities (ORa = 20.40;p = 0.0000). The sorting was not systematic (74.1%), and the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the effluents were relatively high. Conclusion. Managing solid and liquid biomedical waste is insufficient in Togo’s university hospitals and represents a potential risk to human health and the environment.

Health practitioner practices and their influence on nutritional intake of hospitalised patients

Objectives:In the hospital setting,poor dietary intake interacts with disease and represents a major and modifiable cause of malnutrition.Understanding barriers to adequate dietary intake is an important strategy to guide the development of interventions to improve nutrition intake.The aim of this study reported in this paper was to explore patient,family and health care professionals'perceptions of barriers to and enablers of adequate nutrition care and dietary intake of medical inpatients.Methods:An exploratory qualitative study design incorporating group and individual interviews of patients(n=14),their family members(n=4),and health care professionals(n=18)was undertaken.Participants were recruited pragmatically,using a mix of convenience and purposive sampling.A theoretically informed,semi-structured interview schedule was based on observations of practice and the Theoretical Domains Framework.Interviews were audio-recorded,transcribed verbatim and analysed inductively using a general inductive approach.Results:Three key themes emerged from analysing participant interviews.Siloed approaches to nutrition care reflected the diverse range of health care professionals responsible for nutrition care but who often worked in isolation from their colleagues.Competing work priorities for nurses reflected the challenge in prioritise nutrition care which was often constrained because of other care needs or work-related pressures.Helping patients to eat highlighted that nurses were often the only health care professional who would provide assistance to patients at mealtimes and lack of available staff could negatively influence patients'nutrition intakes.Conclusions:We have identified many complex and interrelated barriers which preclude adequate dietary intake in acute medical patients.These predominantly reflect issues inherent in the hospital culture and environment.Multi-faceted and sustainable interventions that support a facilitating nutrition culture and multidisciplinary collaboration,inclusive of patients and families,are needed to address these underlying barriers.

Evaluation and Analysis of Hospital Disaster Preparedness in Jeddah

Introduction: Disaster damage to health systems is a human and health tragedy, results in huge economic losses, deals devastating blows to development goals, and shakes social confidence. Hospital disaster preparedness presents complex clinical operation. It is difficult philosophical challenge. It is difficult to determine how much time, money, and effort should be spent in preparing for an event that may not occur. Health facilities whether hospitals or rural health clinics, should be a source of strength during emergencies and disasters. They should be ready to save lives and to continue providing essential emergencies and disasters. Jeddah has relatively a level of disaster risk which is attributable to its geographical location, climate variability, topography, etc. This study investigates the hospital disaster preparedness (HDP) in Jeddah. Methods: Questionnaire was designed according to five Likert scales. It was divided into eight fields of 33 indicators: structure, architectural and furnishings, lifeline facilities’ safety, hospital location, utilities maintenance, surge capacity, emergency and disaster plan, and control of communication and coordination. Sample of six hospitals participated in the study and rated to the extent of disaster preparedness for each hospital disaster preparedness indicators. Two hazard tools were used to find out the hazards for each hospital. An assessment tool was designed to monitor progress and effectiveness of the hospitals’ improvement. Weakness was found in HDP level in the surveyed hospitals. Disaster mitigation needs more action including: risk assessment, structural and non-structural prevention, and preparedness for contingency planning and warning and evacuation. Conclusion: The finding shows that hospitals included in this study have tools and indicators in hospital preparedness but with lack of training and management during disaster. So the research shed light on hospital disaster preparedness. Considering the importance of preparedness in disaster, it is necessary for hospitals to understand that most of hospital disaster preparedness is built in the hospital system.

Intensify standardized therapy for esophageal and stomach cancer in tumor hospitals

INTRODUCTIONCancer treatment situation in tumor hospitals inChina has its own unique characteristics which arenot found in other parts of the world. Because ofthe huge population and high incidence rates ofesophageal and stomach cancer[1-5], the number ofcancer patients waiting for admission isinconceivably large.

Contact Precaution: Acceptance of Health Professionals to Teaching Hospital

The adoption by health professionals to the practice of patient isolation is a decision that reduces patients’ risks of occupational exposure to potentially contaminated biological material and prevents nosocomial infections. Verify the compliance of health professionals to the practices of contact precautions in patients colonized by microorganisms in a teaching hospital. This was a prospective observational cohort study in a special-sized hospital located in southeastern Brazil. The observation of health professionals in delivery of health care to patients with contact precaution was performed regarding hand hygiene, use of overcoat, glove, and mask. We carried out 1502 observations involving the following professional categories: nursing technicians and/or nursing assistants (n = 1028;68.4%), nurses (n = 200;13.3%), physical therapists (n = 185;12.3%), and physicians (n = 89;5.9%), totaling 971.8 hours. Regarding the level of compliance of professionals to contact precaution practices with hand hygiene after the procedures, the use of overcoats, gloves, and masks, all were statistically significant (p Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most positive pathogen identified in laboratory tests. This study provided the mapping of the compliance of health professionals to the practices of contact precautions in order to support a safer management of patient care reducing the risks of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI). This study also showed that health professionals are using practice management to deal with their behavior to protect their health.