Friday, September 9, 2011

Psych-technology: A Systematic Review of the Telepsychiatry Literature



Ashraf Melaka and Sisira Edirippulige
Centre for Online Health
The University of Queensland
Level 3, Foundation Building
Royal Children’s Hospital
Herston 4029
Australia
Telepsychiatry Appendices

Summary

Recent advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have created opportunities to assist in providing alternate solutions to the delivery of quality psychiatric services. This study sets out to review the literature related to the use of ICT in the psychiatry field. The study was conducted using electronic databases such as Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO and Embase covering the period 1996 to March 2008. The focus of the study was on reviews including studies reporting cost-effectiveness, patient outcomes, technology implementations and services, applications in different geographical settings (developed and undeveloped countries), the use of telepsychiatry in Australia and the barriers to the practice of telepsychiatry. These studies were classified as randomised control trials, evaluation studies and review studies. Fifty-three articles were identified that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Results from the randomized controlled trials analyzed have demonstrated that telepsychiatry treatment has equivalent efficacy to face-to-face consultation.
Synchronous technologies applied in psychiatry practice include: videoconferencing, telephony and online chat programs. Asynchronous technologies include: online support groups, email and self-help groups. The application of telepsychiatry has increased in developed countries such as: USA, Canada and Europe. Telepsychiatry has also been widely used in a number of programs to service rural Australian regions. A lack of application and evolvement of telepsychiatry in developing countries was evident in this review study as well as a lack of economic studies comparing the costs associated with conventional psychiatry services against the costs associated with telepsychiatry services.
This review study has shown the potential of telepsychiatry services to assist in the provision of effective mental and psychiatric care.

Introduction

Psychiatry is the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health conditions (NHS, 2008). Mental health services often are inadequate in remote areas with few specialty providers. Providing traditional psychiatry services has been negatively impacted by many factors including: lack of workforce, lack of accessibility and costs associated with patient travel.
The use of telemedicine is perceived as a potential alternative to improve these services since the majority of interaction and intervention is conducted visually or verbally.
Wootton defines telemedicine as the practice of medical care using interactive, audio, visual and data communications (Wootton, 2006).
The use of Information and Communication Technologies to provide mental health services is known as telepsychiatry. Telepsychiatry as defined by Wootton et al is “the delivery of health care and the exchange of health information for purposes of providing psychiatric services across distances” (Wootton, 2003 p3). The term telepsychiatry is an all-encompassing term for any form of ICT medium used in the delivery of psychiatric services. It is believed that telepsychiatry and e-mental health are becoming widely used in psychiatric diagnosis and treatment (Wootton, 2003:pxiii). Other terminologies used in literature interchangeably with the term telepsychiatry include E-mental health and telemental health. E-mental health as defined by Wootton relates to mental health services provided through any form of electronic medium, most commonly via the Internet or telephone (Wootton, 2003 p3). Telemental health as defined by Smith and Allison is delivering mental healthcare at a distance (Smith & Allison, 1998).
The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature related to the effective use of ICT in psychiatry.
The study will examine:
• Current telepsychiatry services practiced and their application through synchronous and asynchronous technologies.
• Geographical practice settings including Australia.
• Reported barriers and limitations affecting telepsychiatry applications.

Methods

Search Strategy
The review study is of the telepsychiatry literature from 1996 to March 2008 using Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO and Embase. The author reviewed the article titles and abstracts to decide their relevance and application to the field of telepsychiatry. The searches used in these databases are shown in Table 1. In addition, some articles were identified by reading the reference lists of other published articles. Volumes of the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare (vol. 2, 1996 to vol. 2, 2008) were checked manually. The author also acquired valuable knowledge through reviewing telemedicine and telepsychiatry books authored by Richard Wootton.
Selection Criteria
The primary selection criteria for this study were to investigate randomized control trial studies in telepsychiatry. Well designed and executed trials, particularly randomized controlled trials provide the most reliable evidence for inclusion in any systematic literature review. This was followed by research of a variety of literature sources relating to the application of telepsychiatry including evaluation and review studies. Evaluation studies incorporated research associated with: feasibility, acceptability, cost effectiveness and evaluation of services in various locations around the world. Review studies incorporated literature reviews on telepsychiatry as well as current standards and guidelines used in this field. This study only focuses on the application of technology in the field of psychiatry and excludes literature associated with the application of technology in other health disciplines. Titles and abstracts of the studies identified by the search strategies in table 1 were read to determine their potential eligibility for the review. The full articles were then assessed for relevance.
Inclusion criteria
Step Search Term
1 Telepsychiatry or E-mental Health OR Telemental health
2 Telemedicine OR Teleconsulting OR Video Conferencing OR telephony OR telephone Or synchronous communication OR asynchronous communication OR Online Consultations OR Self-help Groups OR Application OR online groups
3 Australia OR Queensland OR South Australia OR NSW OR Victoria OR Western Australia
4 Cost OR cost-effectiveness OR success OR failure OR barriers OR limitations OR Challenges OR Implications OR Legal OR Ethical OR Privacy OR Confidentiality
5 1 and 2
6 1 and 3
7 1 and 4
8 1 and 2 and 3
9 1 and 3 and 4
10 1 and 2 and 4


Table 1 – Literature Search strategy
Studies included reported cost-effectiveness outcomes, patient outcomes, technology implementations and services, applications in different geographical settings (developed and undeveloped countries), application in Australia, clinician satisfaction and telepsychiatry barriers. Included studies were classified as randomised control trials, evaluation studies and review studies. Technology studies included were classified as synchronous applications (use of video-conferencing, telephony and online chat programs) and asynchronous applications (use of e-mail, online support groups and self-help groups). Psychiatry disciplines included: child and adolescent, paediatric psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, veteran’s health psychiatry and mental health.
Results
The search terms specific to telepsychiatry and their combinations yielded 193 references from MEDLINE and over 200 references from PubMed. Altogether 93 papers were chosen for more detailed analysis, of which 53 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These 53 papers are outlined in Table 2 in appendix A. A manual search of the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare yielded 3 more papers. The author also reviewed in detail the book Telepsychiatry and e-mental health by Wootton et al. (Wootton, 2003)
There were four randomized control trial studies on the application of telepsychiatry. Nine papers were found on the evaluation of telepsychiatry programs specifically in Australia with emphasis on servicing of rural districts. There were thirty-three papers selected relating to evaluation of telepsychiatry programs in various international locations around the world. Fifteen papers found were review studies of the telepsychiatry literature. Amongst these reviews and evaluations were studies from Canada, USA, Canary Islands, India, Pakistan, Europe and the UK. Studies found related to cost, feasibility and application of telepsychiatry services.
Table 2 summarises the findings of the 53 articles analysed into 3 categories:
1. The types of technology applications used in psychiatry practice (synchronous and asynchronous),
2. The application of telepsychiatry internationally and in Australia
3. The limitations and barriers affecting telepsychiatry practice.
Study Category Description No of Studies
Types of Technology used in psychiatry services Application of synchronous technologies 38
  Application of videoconferencing 22
  Application of the telephone in telepsychiatry 12
  Application of synchronous communication using online chat programs and forums 6
  Application of asynchronous technologies 15
Application of telepsychiatry internationally and in Australia Application of telepsychiatry in developed countries (USA, Canada, Europe, Australia) 51
  Telepsychiatry in developing countries 2
  Application of telepsychiatry only in Australia 9
Limitations and barriers in telepsychiatry practice. Universal guidelines to govern telepsychiatry practices 2
  Ethical and legal factors in telepsychiatry 10

Table 2 – Study categories

Research Quality

Study designs are essential to consider when conducting systematic literature reviews. As in any health research discipline, large randomised controlled studies are the gold standard (Egger, Smith and Altman, 2001). Other study designs to be considered included case-controlled studies, cohort studies, retrospective studies and review studies.
In this systematic literature review the number of randomised controlled trials found was small (only 4 were analysed). A number of other study designs were analysed. These were categorised into 2 categories:
Evaluation studies: feasibility studies on the application of telepsychiatry.
Review studies: literature review studies on application of telepsychiatry.
An assessment of the quality of the RCT studies was conducted (Appendix B). This assessment provided reassurance that these studies were quality contributions in the current available telepsychiatry literature.

Discussion

A total of 53 articles were reviewed in this study. Findings from these articles are presented in three sections below: The types of technology applications used in psychiatry practice (synchronous and asynchronous), the application of telepsychiatry internationally and in Australia, the limitations and barriers affecting telepsychiatry practice.
Technologies

Application of synchronous technology
This study investigates the use of synchronous communication technologies in particular videoconferencing, telephony and online chat programs. These have been the most widely used in telepsychiatry practice. Disciplines and clinical applications where these forms of telepsychiatry have been most beneficial include: services to correctional facilities (Zaylor et al, 2001, Leonard, 2004), veteran’s health (Godleski, 2004), forensic services (Zaylor et al, 2001), pediatric services (Starling, 2006, Boydell, 2004), geriatric medicine (Jones, 2001), mental health (Merkel, 2004, Hogenbrick, 2006), psychological testing and neuropsychological assessment (Hilty, 2004). Child and adolescent services have been another field, which is receiving much attention in the telepsychiatry literature (Starling 2003, Myers 2007, Myers 2008).
Videoconferencing is considered the central technology currently used in telepsychiatry, because it permits live, two-way interactive, full-color, video, audio, and data communication (De las Cuevas, 2006). The Canary Islands telepsychiatry program in Spain is one example of many recent programs that have been established to provide psychiatric service to rural regions (Pesämaa 2004, Mielonen 2002). From the same program in the Canary Islands, a randomized control trial (RCT) demonstrated that telepsychiatry treatment has equivalent efficacy to face-to-face consultation in psychiatric treatment (De las Cuevas, 2006). Another RCT in Canada (O’reilly 2008) illustrates that psychiatric consultation and short-term follow-up, when delivered by telepsychiatry, can be as effective, as when it is provided face to face. Videoconferencing has also been beneficial in the training, education and supervision of students in the field of psychiatry and in linking academic centers with rural areas and clinics for teaching and educational demonstrations. (Hilty, 2004, Simpson, 2001).
The use of the telephone has also been integral in telepsychiatry communication and has been a precursor to the more sophisticated distance technologies currently used in practice. Due to accessibility, the telephone has become a standard tool for psychiatrists in scheduling, consultation, payment and crisis management (Mallen et al, 2005) The telephone has also been widely used as a means of interaction in psychotherapy. In Australia, the kids help line service is the countries only free, confidential and anonymous, telephone counseling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25. Counselors respond to more than 10,000 phone calls each week about issues ranging from relationship breakdown and bullying to sexual abuse, homelessness, suicidal thoughts, and drug and alcohol usage. Since 1991 more than 5.2 million telephone and online chat sessions (audio and visual) have helped children seeking Kids Help Line's support (Kids Help Line, 2006). The study by VandenBos and Williams of 600 psychologists in the USA reported 98% providing psychiatric services by telephone (VandenBos & Williams, 2000). The telephone is also commonly used amongst psychiatrist for referrals, emergency care, consultation and education, individual psychotherapy and clinical supervision (Mallen et al, 2005).
Online and virtual community chat programs offer a forum whereby people interact with others including psychiatry professionals, sharing their experiences and conditions. The benefits of synchronous communication in online group and chat psychotherapy include the real-time, live interaction whereby response is immediate. The use of video/web vision technologies assist in maintaining the visual and real-time interaction. Questions are answered interactively allowing collaboration and further discussion. This form of practice can be very helpful in achieving therapeutic goals (Tate 2004). One of the most useful aspects of online counseling is the ability to use new technologies to conduct assessments, evaluations, and therapy in remote locations (Mallen, 2008). The kids helpline service in Australia also provides an online counseling service. This service provides one-on-one real time contact with a counselor. This service is available during specified times in the day. Users are encouraged to make regular appointments to meet online with counselors using this service (Kids Help Line, 2006).
Telepsychiatry applications offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional psychiatry interaction however the challenges confronted by using these applications include limited bandwidth, quality of service and security (Hilty 2004).
Application of asynchronous technology
Asynchronous communication includes non-real time interaction such as email groups and user forums. The use of any asynchronous interaction should only be used for non-urgent consultations as this form of interaction is non real-time. Types of information transferred can be in the form of data, audio, still images or video recordings.
The uses of email and online support groups such as doctor online (Jonson 2002) and the Samaritan organisation (Feinichel, 2001) have proven to be effective forms of telepsychiatry services. Online social support groups have been used extensively and have become useful for a range of disorders including; sexual abuse (Barak, 2007), suicide and depression (Barak, 2007, Houston et al, 2002) cancer (Meier, 2007), and disabilities (Kroll, 2007). In general, results have found that online groups provide therapeutic support similar to face-to-face formats (Tate 2004). Houston et al examined the effects of Internet based support groups for depression and found that participants reported considerable support from their computerized interactions (Houston et al 2002) Online support groups are also becoming very useful as motivational tools to weight loss and dealing with obesity. The use of Internet self-help groups also offers a unique form of support based on mutual understanding between patients and psychiatrists. Benefits of self-help groups include: providing social and emotional support to users, information and experience sharing as well as practical assistance and advice from psychiatrists. Other benefits include 24-hour availability, accessibility from users location and anonymity. Tate and colleagues (Tate, Jackvony, & Wing, 2003; Tate, Wing, & Winett, 2001) developed an Internet self-help behavioural treatment program for obesity in California. This program included behavioural lessons posted on the web site each week, reporting of self-monitoring information via web-based diaries, opportunities for group support via electronic bulletin boards, and participant–therapist interactions via e-mail. Results of this study suggested that weekly e-mail communication with a weight loss counsellor significantly improved weight losses over a one-year program.
Geography of practice including Australia
Application in different geographical settings
This study found that the application of telepsychiatry has increased in developed countries such as: USA, Canada, Europe and Australia. Fifty one of the studies analyzed were conducted in these countries highlighting the wide adoption of these technologies in practice. The results of this study also demonstrate the lack telepsychiatry use in developing countries. This is not uncommon to the general telemedicine experience in the developing world. “There has been little practical experience with telemedicine of a direct clinical kind in the developing world which contains 80% of the world’s population.” (Vasallo et al, 2004). Only 2 studies found in this research were relating to telepsychiatry clinical practice in developing countries (India and Pakistan). In India, the Society for Administration of Telemedicine and Healthcare Informatics (SATHI) offered telepsychiatry services to tsunami affected persons in Nagarpattinam district in the state of Tamil Nadu (Majumdar, 2007). The study by Rahman in Pakistan referred to the training and education of existing staff. The study demonstrated a practical method for training and supervising colleagues in Pakistan from a distance (Rahman, 2006).
The published literature clearly shows that telepsychiatry for the developing world is at a very early stage and there is a need for the delivery of telepsychiatry to serve developing nations. This is due to the large population density within these developing nations. The development of evaluation studies and clinical trials (both in the developed and developing worlds) are fundamental to providing the foundation for implementing successful international telepsychiatry programs. The support of international bodies and organizations are also integral in the development for guidelines, governance and policies to manage these programs (Wootton, 2003).
Application of telepsychiatry in Australia
Observational and benefit studies (Trott, 1998, Buist et al, 2000, Mielonen et al, 2000) highlight the cost benefit as well as patient and clinician acceptance of telepsychiatry practices in Australia. From the studies it is clear that although the initial establishment costs are high and therefore no significant savings are justified in the initial years of service, the cost savings thereafter for the patients were significant.
Telepsychiatry is proving successful through a number of programs to service rural Australian regions (such as wagga wagga, Dubbo, Western Australia and South Australia) across different psychiatric services.
Mental health is currently a significant user of real-time communication services across all Australian states (Buist, 2002, Suler, 2002, Parsons et al, 2002). In Australia, telepsychiatry has allowed psychiatry and psychology trainees to access supervision through videoconferencing allowing them to take advantage of the experience of rural psychiatry while continuing to receive supervision (Buist, 2002). The services delivered, the benefits of cost savings associated with the travel, accommodation, clinician availability and the improvement of quality life of the patients are all critical factors contributing to the success of telepsychiatry in Australia. Telepsychiatry and e-mental health are certainly here to stay (Wootton, 2003). Australia has been internationally recognized as a leader in the introduction and trial of telepsychiatry (RANCP, 2002). The driver for this has been the need and demand of psychiatry in Australian rural areas. The current challenges for telepsychiatry in Australia all relate to the human aspects of accepting the changes telepsychiatry impose on current conventional practice rather than lack of technology or lack of expertise associated with these practices.
Barriers and Limitations
Lack of Guidelines
The purpose of any medical guideline is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of clinical practice, provide better clinical outcomes and enhance the reliability of medical services (Wootton, 2003). From a legal view, these guidelines offer a form of immunity to the health care professional (Stanberry, 1999). Formal telepsychiatry guidelines and policies are internationally scarce. The lack of these guidelines can be a logical explanation to the reluctance and resilience of implementing telepsychiatry. The lack of guidelines also suggests that there are certain obstacles to their development (Wootton, 2003). These obstacles are socially referred to as “bureaucracy”. Policy issues associated with telepsychiatry such as duty of care, medical indemnity and the need for registration across state boundaries are all unclear issues with no universal guidelines developed to clarify these issues. Two studies clearly illustrated the need for the development of universal guidelines to govern telepsychiatry practices. The first example is a pilot project conducted in Denmark (Mucic, 2007) to provide psychiatric services to immigrants/refugees in their own language. This project was established in order to address the great shortage of psychiatrists in the country in particular those serving the large immigration/refugee population, which makes up 8.2 % of the country’s population (Udlaendingestyrelsen, 2004). Although results of this study indicated positive response from the patients, participant clinicians expressed reluctance and opposition towards the program, preferring the services of translators. The introduction of an alternative means of treatment for this population base via telepsychiatry with professionals from other countries poses a number of threats and concerns not just for Danish psychiatrists, but also for the quality of care provided to the patients. These threats included: accountability for care, consistency in the provision of care in accordance with the countries’ medical policies and guidelines as well as the costs associated with treatment. A community telepsychiatry program in Kansas (Doolittle, 2001) is another example whereby a projected and extensive approach to applying telepsychiatry lacked structure, coordination and organization. This resulted in a loss to return on investment and minimal utilization of established services. The program plan was to facilitate access to care for rural psychiatric clients by using telemedicine to share clinical staff (i.e. for special expertise or cross-coverage) between mental health facilities. The telepsychiatry service was to include new patient evaluations, post-hospitalization follow up, and coordination of treatment and second opinions. Funding for the project came from state sources and totaled over $500,000. The loose organization of the community mental health centers proved not to be adequate to coordinate and implement this service. Sharing resources and cross-coverage also proved to be difficult between the health centers. Equipment for this program was purchased however remained idle and not used (Doolittle, 2001). Development of policies and guidelines to govern telepsychiatry practices are crucial to the success of these services.
Legal and ethical implications - Issues associated with privacy, security and confidentiality.
Privacy, security and confidentiality are all ethical and legal aspects presenting many implications of concern to therapists as well as patients participating in telepsychiatry. The legal and ethical implications in telepsychiatry are critical factors requiring clarity and awareness for the benefit of the patients and clinicians.
In Australia, the mental health Act was modified in 2002 for two states (QLD and Victoria) to mention the use of videoconferencing as a medium by which psychiatrists may perform legal assessment (Wootton et al, 2003).
Although a distinct advantage of using online telepsychiatry is the anonymity and confidentiality of the patient, this presents many ethical and legal challenges in emergency situations. Psychologists have an ethical duty to warn or duty to protect if clients present a danger to themselves or others (APA Ethics Code 4.05b3). Counseling psychologists are able to intervene in the case of an emergency only if they have information (Mallen et al, 2005) “One of counseling psychologists’ primary ethical responsibilities in practicing therapy is to avoid harming the client” (APA Ethics Code 3.04). Another ethical and legal challenge (primarily for online counseling) is the proof of licensing in the state or country of treatment and also accreditation of the therapist “(Mallen et al. 2005). The pilot project in Denmark reviewed in this study (Mucic, 2007) is an example demonstrating the potential for a broader need of international licensing and accreditation of therapists if they are to treat patients in different international locations. The ability to store and save records of counseling sessions poses many ethical and legal concerns. These ethical and legal issues demonstrate the need for therapists and also users to be aware when using telepsychiatry services.

Lack of economic studies
In order to effectively analyze the cost and consequences, it is beneficial to compare the costs of a conventional/traditional psychiatry service against the cost of a telepsychiatry service.
The table below compares the costs for both traditional psychiatry and telepsychiatry (via videoconferencing) from one study reviewed (Harley, 2006).
Component Videoconferencing Traditional Method
Fixed costs    
Videoconferencing unit: monitor, camera and ISDN installation_ per year 5874.00 -
Telecommunication line rental per year 933.72 -
Total fixed cost 6807.72 -
Variable costs    
ISDN call charges 158.40 -
Travel and transfer   21,000.00
Escort based on two registered nurses   1950.00
Subsistence include meals and hotel stay   3000.00
Total variable cost 158.40 25,950.00
Total costs 6966.12 25,950.00
Table 3 Estimated annual costs (£) for using videoconferencing and traditional methods, based on 22 telepsychiatry episodes (10 Patient consultations and 12 specialist presentations)
The following is a graph of the total costs of the services for traditional methods versus telepsychiatry


Figure 1 Total cost of providing telepsychiatry services (patient consultations and specialist presentations) by traditional means and by videoconferencing at different workloads (Harley, 2006)
It can be clearly seen from this table and the graph that the initial costs of telepsychiatry compared to traditional practice are high, however once a service is established there is a clear economic advantages in the use of telepsychiatry.
In another feasibility study conducted by Werner and Anderson (Werner, 1998), in a rural county in Michigan, the analysis required the inclusion of a wide range of cost elements including: equipment, clinic personnel, installation, maintenance, training, duplication of files, office space and line rental. These are all analysis elements required to be investigated in any cost-benefit analysis and cost evaluation of telepsychiatry.
Krupenski et al (Krupenski, 2002) also provides an example in Arizona of the long term cost barriers that can be confronted with telepsychiatry implementations. Patients missing, not attending or canceling appointments are considered normal activities, which need to be accounted for as part of the sustainability and durability of such programs.
Economically, telepsychiatry would be beneficial from both the patient and psychiatrists view in relation to cost savings due to the convenience of the service. However these are not the only stakeholders involved in this practice. Health directors and policy makers also play a pivotal role in establishing the policies and guidelines surrounding mental health practice. More evaluation and cost benefit literature studies are required in order to justify the economic benefit of telepsychiatry.

Conclusion

The potential for telepsychiatry services to assist in the provision of effective mental and psychiatric health care is constantly evident and increasing. The current forms of communication technologies (both synchronous and asynchronous) are proving to be adequate in use and these technologies are continually being enhanced for the benefit of practices. The need for further evaluations and application of these technologies to wider communities such as developing countries would ensure the accessibility of services to a wider range of the world’s population.

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First Published October 2009
Copyright Priory Lodge Education Ltd. 209

Primary Care – time to get ethical



Stephen J. Humphreys is the Practice Manager in a five-partner GPs’ surgery in Hertfordshire and in the second year of the NHS Clinical Governance Support Team’s national Practice Manager Development Programme.

Abstract: Developments in UK primary healthcare indicate a corresponding and urgent need to both debate and develop the ethical framework that must underpin general practice. The utilitarian approach is already relatively strong in the NHS, but, it is argued, a deontological approach is more appropriate to the traditions and sentiments of British general practice.
Keywords: autonomy, confidentiality, deontology, ethics, evidence-based medicine, general practice, utilitarianism


Introduction


This paper attempts to update, due to a perceived increasing urgency, the message of a paper by Martin published some three years ago. Whilst time has moved on, the threat to Britain’s primary healthcare, especially in its general practice base, has now reached such a point that if intervention does not come soon it may be too late for Britain’s healthcare system.
Martin (2004) identified three developments that she then felt made it timely to reconsider which body of ethics theory had most relevance for primary care in the UK. She suggested that government policies on health care which favoured primary care led provision coupled with increased patient choice; the development of evidence-based medicine (EBM); and the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998 were of such cumulative magnitude as to make “[a]n ethical framework devoted to the particular needs of primary health care practitioners…essential to the implementation of an effective modern primary health care system” (Martin, 2004: 326). Implicit in this of course is her belief that extant ethical frameworks are essentially inappropriate for the role of helping today’s primary care workers. Whilst at best there may be
“an assumption that primary health care ethics comprise a branch of the more developed body of secondary care ethics, and that experience of ethics in the secondary sector can be used to provide a resource for emerging primary care ethics” (Martin, 2004: 326)
in reality, the differences between primary and secondary healthcare are too marked for this. Primary care concentrates on the individual (e.g. allocating time to patients, providing contraceptive services, inappropriate use of services, lack of resources (Bowman and Spicer, 2007; Rogers, 1997)) and secondary care emphasises the disease.
I understand by “the more developed body of secondary care ethics” that Martin had in mind the fact that many hospitals have ethics committees and do therefore deliberate on matters having an ethical dimension. Such deliberation may be virtually unheard of in primary care – but the Hippocratic oath certainly demonstrates that medical ethics is not an inappropriate consideration for primary care practitioners. Thus, there are ethical frameworks suitable for providing a basis for primary care ethics, the problem is in stirring such frameworks into motion in the primary care setting.
Current events assailing primary care – not least the beginnings of its dismantling as big, even multinational, for-profit organisations begin encroaching on the territory (HSJ 22 March 2007; Pulse 22 March 2007; GP 23 March 2007; Doctor 27 March 2007) - make it timely to do as Martin suggests. It is time to develop an ethical debate in primary care about what the real values of primary care are, and how they should best be nurtured.
In this paper I thus intend to reinforce Martin’s view that primary care in the UK needs a richer, active, more vocal ethical discourse by suggesting that primary care must learn – and now - to stand against those who would take on its patients purely for profitable purposes.
To help start the debate I want to introduce a polemic by suggesting that utilitarianism, which the NHS administratively and strategically seems (almost inevitably) to favour, is probably the least suited of all ethical approaches to the fundamentals of primary care. Accordingly, I discuss this approach at some length in order to attempt to dismiss it from the general practitioner’s (GPs) ethical canon. (I then stand aside in anticipation of the answering salvo.)

Primary Health Care


Before we get there however, it is only proper that we do better justice to Martin’s arguments. Quite rightly, she firstly discusses the varied meanings of ‘primary health care’ in order to situate her arguments and whilst this is a laudable objective it is inherently problematic, and for some, ultimately, self-defeating. Heywood for example notes the term ‘primary care’ has several meanings such that “within one definition, general practice is a part of primary care and in another, primary care is a feature of general practice” (1998: 112). For the purposes of this paper, I summarize the term ‘primary health care’, as meaning the location for, and the activity of, the clinical management of self-presenting non-emergency conditions.
The significance of this definition is really two-fold: it attempts to position primary care in general practice whilst incorporating the fact that others (other GPs, practice and community nurses, counsellors, pharmacists and the like) may also encounter the patient. Thus, generally the primary care provider will be considered the general practitioner, supported by others. A secondary feature that I wish to emphasise is that the presenting patient may not have anything physically wrong with them. They may just be lonely and seeking advice from the only person they feel they can turn to for help. Quite what their position will be in a ‘marketized’ primary care setting, which seeks profit rather than quality of care, is unclear. They cannot be cured and will need to be seen regularly but in this delay others from getting timely appointments.
It is government policy to develop a primary care led NHS (DH 2005), and practice based commissioning (e.g. DH, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) is presumably the main tactical approach it is deploying in its attempts to arrange that the majority of health care should eventually be provided in a primary care setting. In fact, philosophically,
“These initiatives could be argued to be an illustration of a conceptual shift from a biomedical model of health to a biopsychosocial approach. Under the biomedical model the patient is seen as a diseased body part and treated accordingly, the patient’s social and personal circumstances are of limited importance in the treatment regime and the hospital becomes the most appropriate place for providing health care. The biopsychosocial approach attempts to see the patient as a complete individual with biological, psychological and social elements that all impact and influence the patient’s health” (Dowrick and Frith, 1999: 1).
Thus, the person presenting is to be treated as a patient even if not mentally or physically ill. The current GP contract for example requires that GPs manage any patients presenting who are ill “…or believes themselves to be ill…” (NHS Confederation/BMA, 2003: para. 2.8 (i)). Thus, the GP is tasked with responsibility of last resort and must be there for the care (be it physical, mental or even social) of everyone without exception – this very much suggests that ethically the GP has a covenantal rather than a merely contractual relationship with the patient.

Autonomy


It is this all encompassing and indeed life-long care for the person, which additionally recognises the familial, and socio-economic circumstances affecting the individual, that forms the special role that GPs have, as recognised by the award of a royal charter to the College of General Practitioners in 1972. The crux of general practice is that it exists to care for the person rather than any disease of the person. This creates the supreme ethical underpinning of the general practitioner’s role and given this we can now identify autonomy as the deontological principle, espoused most principally by Beachamp and Childress (2001) within their four principles approach to medical ethics, as the cornerstone of primary care medical ethics. It is the ethical duty of the GP to promote the patient’s autonomy – helping them get the best from what life has dealt them, and according to their individual views, beliefs, competences and so forth. This is not new. What it does do though, I believe, is to relegate the utilitarian ethic from primary care – and I shall return to this theme. Neither does it mean just doing what the patient wants; sometimes it may be necessary to urge a patient to do something in their own best interests even when they resist (e.g. treating some forms of mental illness or contagions).
Martin however points to the development of evidence-based medicine coupled with patients’ rights (as for example now more clearly supported by the enshrining of the European Declaration of Human Rights into UK law) as potentially conflicting with the ethical goal of autonomy.
She argues that the development of evidence-based medicine threatens to determine a patient’s treatment, with the GP’s knowledge of the patient counting for less than formerly. Given the weight of ‘evidence’, if the patient was to seek to exercise choice, and take a role in managing their own condition - as apparently encouraged by government policy (e.g. DH, 2001) - then the patient may need to confront the ‘evidence’ perhaps by seeking recourse to such legislation as the Human Rights Act 1998 to enforce her will over the GP and the evidence. This is likely to damage the doctor-patient relationship. All this for Martin indicates a need to develop an explicit, widespread, ethical approach in primary care to help primary care practitioners manage these predicted relationship difficulties.
However, evidence-based medicine is not so much new as a different way of assessing treatment protocol choices in arriving at a clinical decision. Instead of relying on the opinions of local consultants (experts) and perhaps on ‘case reports’, the GP is encouraged to look at evidence from trials – preferably randomised control trials, and not just one either but to seek a meta-analysis of results in order to identify not just a truth but the whole truth. Such information may suggest that drug X is best for condition Y. However, as everyone is different, and the fact that X is only available as a tablet and Mrs Z is very forgetful, it would be more appropriate to ensure she had drug Q which has to be injected weekly but at least then the district nurses will be able to ensure it is given. Z’s son P though may feel that drug F, which is much more expensive but is licensed for Y and is available as a transdermal patch, would be the best option. P, being a barrister, may threaten to take the GP to court to fight for Z’s ‘rights’. But this is neither a new scenario for the GP, nor need it be an ethical dilemma. Mrs Z can discuss the matter with her GP, and probably with P present too if she has no objections. The GP can also discuss the matter with his colleagues, his medical defence body, and even the local PCT (he need not give Mrs Z’s details in order to do any of this). The GP will have acted in the way that he feels is correct and in the best interests of his patient. If he prescribes according to his conscience and not in conjunction with a pricelist then this fact prevents an ethical problem arising even if there is a disagreement between the GP and P (Z’s son). Only if the GP avoided the disagreement by prescribing something he did not believe to be in his patient’s best interests would there be an ethical problem.
Equally, EBM could serve to establish a base position from which it could facilitate a discussion of care between the doctor and the patient and so promote autonomy.
Privatisation
The current government’s trajectory in health care is towards an increased role for the commercial sector (e.g. Leys, 2003). This policy of ‘contestability’ in the NHS seeks to provide/commission services at certain standards whilst seeking increasing cost-effectiveness. Cost-effectiveness may be in terms of, for example, better access (surgeries open longer hours for the same level of reimbursement) and/or in terms of reduced costs. Neither, admittedly, is it merely just the current government’s policy. Rather it is part of an internationally agreed agenda for signatories to the 1995 General Agreement on Trade in Services which intends to eventually open up public services, such as health care, to international trade (Pollock, 2004) and so is likely to be a policy of whatever shade of government. Nevertheless, it is such a policy that will create the very climate for ethical dilemmas: prescribing that is influenced by price rather than by patient need will be disastrous for patient-doctor relationships.
As generally with any such neoliberalist approach, the policy shift is likely to be a slow process (but seems to be entering a higher gear now Virgin group has expressed a desire to move into primary health care) as it is really an almost reluctant response to globalisation’s effects of emasculating governments. The specific policy of dismantling (‘commodifying’) the NHS has to be managed incrementally because it is likely to be unpopular if introduced blatantly, but it can be seen to be emerging quite clearly now in the UK. Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are encouraging GPs to refer patients along particular pathways, arguably skimping on quality in order to save money. GPs must make a stand for their patients. They must not waste resources but should not refer on the basis solely of costs. Probably the biggest obstacle for getting commercial organizations involved quicker is the difficulty of access to primary care patients. Patients should enjoy having trusted access to a family doctor with whom they can build a relationship from childhood – someone who knows them, their family and their social and economic circumstances. The patient-list and the associated patient notes in particular are the key to this access. The NHS’s multi-billion pound investment in computerisation to create a national patient data repository (the ‘spine’) is intended however to allow access to patient records virtually wherever and by whomever.
The ethical problems will arise when the big commercial organisations are really to offer to provide a primary care service at reduced costs. They will surely seek to employ sessional GPs who may be foreign (for whom the first language might not be English), who may not be so skilled or experienced, and who may even have been ‘struck off’ in other European countries. Presently there is no “legal duty or regulations across the EU to exchange registration and disciplinary information and to act on it” (The Times 23 January 2007, pp. 8 and 16). Such GPs will know little if anything about the family or social situation of the patient; they will be paid to work set hours (or be paid premium rates) and to provide a specified service at minimal cost – they will work to a contract rather than to a covenant arrangement. The same GP may not be available a few months later as she might have moved on to headquarters or to another office, perhaps in another country or continent in order to see the world and further her career. She will not be particularly interested in the patient because she knows she will not be there when the condition deteriorates. This is in sharp contrast to the traditional family doctors who are there throughout all the patient’s problems. They tend to stay in the same practice for the whole of their careers building up rapport with their patients, and whose acceptance that they will have to explain things to the patient or the patient’s family should anything go wrong is a guarantor of care.


Confidentiality


Yet, confidentiality is properly part of autonomy – because only if the patient can trust the GP to maintain confidences can the patient fully reveal all her true problems and so hope to get the help that she needs in order to live her life authentically. Martin for instance notes that autonomy – respect for the patient – also entails respect for the patient’s privacy, including the confidentiality of patient information. It is this aspect of primary care that this writer sees as coming most under ethical threat from the government’s strategy to privatise primary care. The introduction of a national patient database will, as the government claim, allow a doctor who is unfamiliar with a patient to identify underlying medical conditions that may be helpful in managing the patient in an emergency. However, the same technology will allow an awful lot of people (there are in excess of a million staff working in the NHS) to look up medical or demographic data on anyone. Privacy will go out of the window. True, whenever someone accesses the database they will need a smartcard, a password, a ‘legitimate right’ to look at the record, and an audit trail will be instantly created. Patients will be able to obtain a list of who looked at their records, when, and in theory action can be taken against those who looked without good reason. But in practice this will be impossible to police.
If they can even be traced months after the event, temporary clerks will easily be able to claim they ‘mistakenly’ looked at the wrong record. Or that they looked at it for an administrative reason: to check on Read-coding; to identify when a patient was last seen; to see if the patient has had the influenza vaccine regularly; or whatever, the specifics of which they have long-forgotten the details of. They certainly did not reveal the details to the accused, or the newspaper, or the ex-spouse.
Utilitarianism
The government’s strategy bears the hallmarks of a simplistic utilitarian approach seeking the greatest benefit for the majority, and in order to arrive at this ignores the concerns of any individuals who may be affected. Yet, those individuals are all of us. It is a shortsighted approach. Once the commercial providers are established with their feet secure under the consulting room desk, they will surely want to increase their contractual demands and prices will rise so that overall costs will become greater than they would have been under the existing arrangements (why else would the commercial providers even want to enter the marketplace?).
That utilitarian approaches are not untypical of NHS managerial/administrative approaches can again be illustrated by a fairly recent event concerning the new general practitioner contract, which commenced in England and Wales in April 2004. Local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) began their quality assurance visits in October of that year and were intended to enable verification of the record keeping and attainment claims made by family doctors’ surgeries, and to advise GPs about contract performance issues. Immediately the visits were due to commence the medical press filled with warnings from concerned GPs that patients’ details should not be revealed to the visiting PCT staff without the express informed consent of the patients. The confidentiality of patient records is traditionally considered sacrosanct because, it is believed (or at least hypothesized pending evidence, see e.g. Halpern, 2005), only with the understanding that their revelations will be kept private will patients adequately unburden themselves, and so reveal the information the clinician needs in order to treat them most appropriately (Campbell et al., 2001).
Local Medical Committees advised that the PCTs should seek the necessary consents from patients, as the quality assurance visits were not to be unreasonably burdensome for the practices involved. However if the PCTs were to have obtained such consents they would either have had to contact the ‘random’ patients whose records they proposed to check, in which case the practice would probably become aware of whose records would be checked, as patients might well query the matter with their doctor. Alternatively, the PCTs would have to write to every patient asking for explicit consent and only select from those (few) who did give such consent. The process seemed unwieldy, and the bureaucracy involved threatened to tip easily into the farcical.
GPs made a fuss nationally and the matter largely died down – what seemed to happen was that GPs from another practice came along as part of the PCT inspection and it was the GP member of the team who looked at certain elements of anonymised patient records. PCT staff themselves did not get to see patient identifiable information. The clinicians had collectively challenged the ‘NHS’ by insisting on patient rights to confidentiality (an example of their applying their deontological ethical beliefs). NHS managers by contrast had envisaged looking at a few patient records to ensure there was no cheating. They considered that this slight slippage in terms of respect for confidentiality could be justified because it was the only way to properly check that public money was being properly earned. The theoretical breach of confidentiality in a very few cases was to be justified because public funds were to be seen to be properly spent (a utilitarian ethical approach which can easily override the interests of the few for the benefit of the many). Again, in 2006/07 many GPs withdrew their practices from the Designated Enhanced Service for Access foregoing the associated payments rather than allow DH sponsored software to extract patient details from practice computers in order to create a data set from which patients could be sampled.

Varieties of Utilitarianism


The utilitarian normative ethical perspective it could be said, was almost designed for those with a public duty: typically it asks ‘What should we do, collectively?’ rather than ‘How should I live, personally?’ (Goodin, 1993). The access to records dilemmas reveals the NHS’s ethical perspective and contrasts this with the, almost instinctive, ethics of the majority of general practitioners.
Utilitarianism is a teleological approach concentrating on the likely consequences of acts or decisions in order to decide if they are morally right. Utilitarians broadly seek the greatest good for the greatest number when exercising their moral choices. If their intention is to achieve that goal therefore then the outcome of their choice should be as they expect or their goal may be missed.
Benthamist utilitarianism in essence argues for a criterion of a pleasure-pain continuum by which the consequences of actions may be assessed: consequences, it holds, can either give rise to pleasure (happiness) or pain (misery).
Benthamism is perhaps most famously associated with the idea of ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number’, and applying this notion to the ethical problems we have discussed might suggest that the decision to release information could be supported if a consideration of the social benefits suggested they outweighed any personal disbenefits that might occur. Thus, the PCT’s (society’s) ability to check that the surgery has not falsified information would ensure that the practice’s results revealed the true state of how healthcare is delivered by the surgery and progress could be tracked over time to society’s benefit. This possibility would need to be considered against other possibilities including that patient confidentiality might be considered as compromised (although as the PCT would be bound by confidentiality clauses too, the issue, it could be claimed, is only a theoretical one which patients are not much concerned about). Unless confidentiality is strictly adhered to, then in future patients could become reluctant to divulge all necessary information with a consequence of more untreated illnesses and greater misery. Thus, the utilitarian scale here swings to favour either disclosure or a denial of access depending upon what the actual outcome might be. And we cannot know the future. Crude Benthamism’s tendency to ignore minority rights as it attends to the majority’s benefit can mean an individual’s health care needs would be ignored, as under this ethical perspective there would be a tendency to favour general, almost theoretical, and certainly impersonal approaches to healthcare rather than to address the needs of any particular patient.
Moral behaviour however is not always about conforming to what is socially popular but of acting out of convictions, which may not always lead to obvious happiness. A Kantian deontological approach contrasts with utilitarianism by looking to the intrinsic features of an act to decide its moral value: it concerns itself with one’s duties in the situation; it emphasises the rights and autonomy of others, and the need too to treat others never as means to our ends. Such Kantian categorical imperatives still require the interests of all affected rational agents to be taken into account and so, as Gillon (1986) points out, Kantians would not say that even medical confidentiality was always an absolute. Thus the Kantian approach would surely be to consider the patients’ expectations, the need to treat all in the way one would wish to be treated oneself, and the fact that the breach of confidentiality to allow a payment check is a blatant means to an end.
Kantians would probably not allow the PCO inspection team into the surgery. Utilitarians in this case are more likely to do so – but such a decision is likely to vary between even act utilitarians. If the (act) utilitarian for example believes the consequences of an act are such-and-such, then s/he is likely to consider the greatest benefit based upon that expectation. Another utilitarian of the same ilk however may expect a different outcome and so perceive the benefit to move in the other direction and thus different utilitarians may seek completely different courses of action. As Mill himself acknowledged: “Utility is an uncertain standard, which every different person interprets differently” (Mill, 1863 [2002: 291]). One problem with utilitarianism is thus simply that it is consequentialist – and we rarely know the outcome of potential behaviours. The utilitarian approach thus depends as much upon anticipating correctly if the intention is to have any chance of achieving its teleological goal. A deontological approach by contrast may mean that we are more likely to achieve the moral outcomes we seek, largely because we tend to know our duties a priori and with them we can act consistently.
Connecting for Health’s proposals for an implied consent to having a Summary Care Record on the National Patients’ Record System is another clearly utilitarian approach to health care management, which overrides the wishes of patients.


Conclusion


Utilitarian ethical approaches have little to offer general practitioners or their patients. Individuals would be best served if their doctor concentrated on the doctor-patient relationship and the promotion of patient autonomy. Commercial organizations wishing to deliver healthcare are far more likely to act with a utilitarian basis in their overall attempts to secure profits. Patients of such organizations will be re-commodified as disease harbouring entities rather than individuals. Primary health care practitioners would thus do well now to begin to debate these issues and perhaps better get across the message that what they want most is to provide the best for their patients and thus they must be seen as the patient’s advocate – not the NHS’s tools.
Primary care seems likely to sink under the threat from big commercial companies. GPs now need to grasp an ethical framework - as Arthur grasped Excalibur to save Britain of old - and use it to protect the tradition of primary health care. Martin may not realise it, but in calling for a development of primary care ethics she may have stumbled on Excalibur – and now it only needs a rightful Arthur (MB, ChB) to brandish it aloft and gather an army under it.

References

Beauchamp, T. L. and Childress, J. F. 2001: Principles of Biomedical Ethics (5th ed.) Oxford: OUP.
Bentham, J. 1834: Deontology; or, The Science of Morality. London: Longman.
Bowman, D. and Spicer, J. (eds) 2007: Primary Care Ethics Oxford: Radcliffe
Campbell, A., Gillett, G. and Jones, G. 2001: Medical Ethics (3rd ed) Oxford: OUP.
DH 2001: The Expert Patient: a new approach to chronic disease management for the 21st century. London: HMSO.
DH 2004: Practice Based Commissioning: promoting clinical engagement. London: The Stationery Office.
DH 2005: Creating a Patient-led NHS – delivering the NHS improvement plan. London: The Stationery Office.
DH (2006) Practice Based Commissioning: achieving universal coverage London; The Stationery Office.
DH (2007) Practice Based Commissioning: implementation monitoring London: The Stationery Office.
Dowrick, C. and Frith, L. 1999: General Practice and Ethics. London: Routledge.
Gillon, R. 1986: Philosophical Medical Ethics. Chichester: John Wiley.
Goodin, R. E. 1993: Utility and the good IN: Singer, P. (Ed) A Companion to Ethics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Halpern, S.D. 2005: Towards evidence based bioethics BMJ (331): 901-3
Heywood, P. 1998: Research and development in primary care. Ch 10: 111-26. IN Baker, M. and Kirk, S. Research and Development for the NHS: evidence, evaluation and effectiveness. (2nd ed) Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical.
Leys, C. 2003: Market-Driven Politics: neoliberal democracy and the public interest. London: Verso.
Martin, R. 2004:Rethinking primary care ethics: ethics in contemporary primary health care in the United Kingdom. Primary Health Care Research and Development 5: 317-328
Mill, J. S. 1863: Utilitarianism. [2002, New York: Random House.]
NHS Confederation/BMA 2003: New GMS Contract 2003: investing in general practice. London: NHS Confederation/ BMA.
Pollock, A. M. 2004: NHS Plc: the privatisation of our health care. London: Verso.
Rogers, W. A. 1997: A systematic review of empirical research into ethics in general practice. BJGP (47): 733-37.

Copyright Priory Lodge Education Limited 2007
First Published August 2007

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Qualitative Urine Beta-HCG - Urine Pregnancy Test


Overview & Deion

This test detects the level in the Urine of the pregnancy hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
Who is a candidate for the test?

HCG is a hormone that is produced by the placenta. It is detectable in the blood and Urine within 10 days after fertilization. After implantation of the fertilized egg, the levels of HCG rise rapidly in the first trimester and reach a peak 60 to 80 days after implantation. HCG is thought to be important in converting the normal corpus luteum into the corpus luteum of pregnancy. The corpus luteum is a hormone-secreting structure that grows on the surface of the ovary after ovulation takes place. In pregnancy, functions of the corpus luteum include:
promoting the growth of the fetus through the 12th week of pregnancy.

stimulating the development of fetal sex organs.

promoting the synthesis of male hormones by the fetal testes.

Because HCG is produced by the placenta, it is an indicator of pregnancy. HCG is produced regardless of whether implantation of the egg occurs within the uterus or outside of the uterus.
Most commonly, this test is performed to confirm or rule out pregnancy. Women of childbearing age who have not been using birth control while having intercourse should be screened with a quantitative HCG test if they are having the following symptoms:
delayed menstrual period.

breast tenderness.

pelvic pain.

irregular spotting or bleeding.

nausea or vomiting.

How is the test performed?

The person supplies a Urine sample. Ideally, this is from the first urination of the morning. This Urine tends to be highly concentrated. The sample is sent to the lab and analyzed for the presence of HCG. The hormone is measured in terms of quantity per cubic centimeter of urine. The hormone is detected with a test that uses specialized antibodies. These substances clot with the HCG molecules. When this happens, the test is deemed positive. It is this reaction that makes the test strip turn color in over-the-counter pregnancy tests.

Preparation & Expectations

What is involved in preparation for the test?

No special preparation is necessary for this test.

Results and Values

What do the test results mean?

Abnormal test results may indicate:
threatened or spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage.

ectopic pregnancy, which is a pregnancy located outside the uterus.

an abnormal egg.

hydatidiform mole, which is a tumor of the placenta with death of the fetus.

choriocarcinoma, which is a tumor of the placenta that causes profuse bleeding.

multiple pregnancy, such as twins or triplets.

Incorrect results, which are called false-positive or false-negative, results may occur with:
blood or protein in the urine.

use of phenothiazines, such as prochlorperazine or promethazine.

use of penicillin.

use of methadone.

urinary tract infection.

hepatitis.

Other potential diagnoses that may mimic pregnancy but have negative HCG results include:
ovarian cysts.

bleeding without ovulation.

dysfunctional uterine bleeding, which is abnormal bleeding from the uterus that occurs outside of the normal menstrual flow.

pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is widespread infection of the ovaries, tubes, and other reproductive organs.

polycystic ovary disease, which is an endocrine disorder causing multiple cysts on the ovaries.

ovarian cancer.

menopause.


Attribution

Author:Eva Martin, MD
Date Written:
Editor:
Edit Date:
Reviewer:Joan McNicholl, PharmD
Date Reviewed:04/16/01

Acetabular Dysplasia - Congenital Dis of the Hip


Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

This condition refers to malformation of the hip joint during fetal development. In this condition, the head of the thighbone or femur, does not sit properly in the socket of the pelvis.
What is going on in the body?

Joints and bones usually grow normally during fetal development. However, in a small percene of newborns, the pelvis has not formed its usual deep socket. Therefore, the head of the thighbone can slip partially or completely out of the socket.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?

This condition can be caused by the way the legs of the fetus are positioned in the womb. It is more likely to occur in people with a family history of the disorder. It also affects girls more often than boys. It is three times more likely to occur in the left hip than the right. It is more common after a breech delivery, among large babies and in twins. congenital hip dis is frequently associated with other conditions such as spina bifida, sternomastoid torticollis, or Down syndrome.

Symptoms & Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Symptoms vary according to the severity of the problem and the age of the person. An infant will often have no symptoms or pain. The common symptom found with congenital hip dis is a "click" that is heard near the hips as the hips are moved during the newborn exam.
Signs that there might be a problem include:
a baby that has odd skin folds on its thigh or trouble spreading its legs during a diaper change
a toddler that is slow to walk or walks with a limp
As the person grows older, especially in adulthood, the chances of arthritic hip pain increases.

Diagnosis & Tests

How is the condition diagnosed?

Most of the time, a healthcare provider can detect this condition when examining a newborn's hips. The healthcare provider may do a Ortolani test, in which the thighs are spread apart, or the Barlow test, where the knees are brought together, to listen for the characteristic "click" that is heard with congenital hip dis.
Less evident cases can be confirmed by joint x-rays. These x-rays can be performed with the injection of dye into the hip joint. Detection can also be made by doing special tests, such as ultrasound or MRI. The earlier the diagnoses is made the better are the chances for normal hip function.

Prevention & Expectations

What can be done to prevent the condition?

There is no way to prevent this condition.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?

It is possible that the hip joint will continue to develop poorly. This can result in a short leg, a limp, restricted motion of the joint, and painful arthritis.
What are the risks to others?

There are no risks to others.

Treatment & Monitoring

What are the treatments for the condition?

Treatment is directed toward the development of a normal hip joint. The head of the femur and the socket of the pelvis tend to develop more normally when they are correctly positioned next to one another. This can be achieved by using extra diapers, a harness, a brace, or a cast.
If these methods don't work, the orthopedic surgeon may recommend an operation on the hip, ligaments, and tendons, called a corrective wedge osteotomy.
A cast will be placed afterward to seat the hip properly. Follow-up joint x-rays can determine the degree of success. In young children, it may be necessary to operate on the pelvis to redirect the structures.
What are the side effects of the treatments?

Side effects include possible discomfort from a brace or cast. If surgery is needed, side effects can include nausea and vomiting from the anesthesia, and infection from the surgery site.
What happens after treatment for the condition?

If treatment has begun within the first 3 months of life treatment is usually successful and no further treatment is necessary. The older a child is the more complicated and lengthy treatment may be. Treatment may involve multiple operations and braces. Satisfactory hip function is difficult to restore if a child is older than 5.
Possible complications include:
the joint fails to respond to treatment
the hip becomes partially or completely dislocated again
the femoral head lacks a blood supply
one leg ends up being shorter than the other
arthritis or infection
How is the condition monitored?

Periodic checkups with the healthcare provider are helpful.

Attribution

Author:John A.K. Davies, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Smith, Elizabeth, BA
Edit Date:06/14/00
Reviewer:Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
Date Reviewed:08/07/01

Carcinoma of the Lung - Primary Lung Cancer



Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Primary lung cancer is a very serious respiratory disorder that begins in the airways and air sacs of the lungs.
What is going on in the body?

cancer of the lung can begin in the lining of the trachea, the smaller airways, and the tiny air sacs. There are different types of lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, accounts for 70% to 80% of lung cancers. Small cell lung cancer or oat cell carcinoma, or SCLC, accounts for 25% of lung cancers. Both types can be fatal. They invade surrounding tissue and can spread to other parts of the body through the lymph nodes and bloodstream.
lung cancer is the most common and most deadly cancer in the US. Roughly 160,000 deaths occur each year. Men and woman are equally affected. Most types of lung cancer are aggressive, spreading early in their course. lung cancer can cause life threatening complications in the chest and spread to distant sites throughout the body causing death in this way. A person also may have symptoms which are reactions to tumors or a substance they make, called a paraneoplastic syndrome.
What are the causes and risks of the disease?

Inhaling tobacco smoke probably causes at least 90% of all lung cancer. Smokers have more than 30 times the risk of nonsmokers. A person's risk for lung cancer depends on how many packs of cigarettes he or she smokes each day and for how many years. People who quit smoking remain at risk, sometimes for decades. People exposed to radiation, radon, asbestos, and probably heavy l are also at risk.
lung cancer occurs if the cells lining the airways of the lungs are constantly exposed and stimulated by cancer-causing substances over several decades. This changes the genetic DNA, makeup of cells and results in the uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells.
It is very rare for a person who has not been exposed to cigarette smoke or radiation to develop small cell lung cancer. It occurs most often in middle aged and elderly people who have been exposed to cancer-causing poisons for several decades.

Symptoms & Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?

Symptoms of lung cancer include:
a cough
blood-tinged spit
shortness of breath
dull, achy chest pain
sharp chest pain that gets worse when the person moves
hoarseness
trouble swallowing
A person with this disease may also have:
fever
loss of appetite
weight loss
muscle loss
fatigue
Sometimes the disease has spread by the time it is diagnosed. If so, symptoms can include:
headache
blurred vision
seizures
strokes
slurred speech
neurologic problems
People often come to the healthcare provider with symptoms of bone pain, pneumonia, enlarged, hard, mostly painless lymph nodes, an enlarged liver and jaundice. Listening to the heart, the doctor may find dullness, loss of breath sounds, a pleuritic rub or a sound caused by an irritated lung lining, and wheezing. The person's skin may be bluish, and the tips of his or her fingers may be abnormally enlarged.
lung cancer also can cause many serious problems ranging from paralysis to heart failure.

Diagnosis & Tests

How is the disease diagnosed?

The disease is diagnosed by taking a tissue sample of the lung. There are many ways to collect a tissue sample. Biopsies are obtained wherever the cancer is most accessible. Needle puncture, brush or pinch biopsy is frequently all that is needed. Various ways to collect tissue include:
needle aspiration of pleural fluid through the chest wall
pleural biopsy
mediastinoscopy
bronchoscopy
needle biopsy of a liver mass
biopsy of tissue from a peripheral lymph node obtained either through needle biopsy or a surgical incision
biopsy of a mass in any of the body
Through this tissue sample, doctors can tell if the cancer is small cell or non-small cell. Small cell is an aggressive lung cancer deriving from the neuroendocrine cells. It usually has spread cancer cells throughout the body at the time of diagnosis. Frequently a bone marrow biopsy is performed to see if it has spread to the bones. Sing for small cell lung cancer is generally divided into limited disease versus extensive disease.
Non-small cell lung cancer can include all kinds of different cells. Some are flat and scaly, while other disguise themselves as lung cells. These cancers are categorized or sed differently than small cell because this type of lung cancer may be curable. In order to evaluate whether removing all or part of the lung may be feasible, more tests are needed. This includes blood tests, MRI scan of the chest, and bronchoscopy. Other tests, including a bone scan, liver scan or CT scan, may also be needed.
Diagnostic sing is somewhat complex.
Se I consists of a lung mass that has not invaded the chest wall, trachea, or lymph nodes.
Se II can involve the lymph nodes in the area where the windpipe branches into the two lungs, but not the center of the chest around the heart.
Se III consists of involvement of lymph nodes in the hilum, which is an area at the root of the lungs (III-A), or a locally invasive tumor (III-B).
Se IV involves any tumor in the lung that has spread outside of the chest.
At many times exact sing is not known until the chest is opened for surgery.
Prevention & Expectations

What can be done to prevent the disease?

This best way to prevent this cancer is not to smoke and to avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. People who want to quit smoking can try:
behavior modification programs
support groups
nicotine chewing gum
nicotine patches
bupropion medication
alternative approaches such as biofeedback, hypnosis, and acupuncture
Educating young people about the dangers of smoking is a key preventive strategy.
Radon is a cancer-causing substance that should also be avoided. It is sometimes found in the home. If present, it can be reduced to acceptable levels by various means, such as caulking and creating more ventilation.
Early diagnosis may help in reducing some deaths, however, lung cancer tends to spread early. There are no reliable screening blood tests or sputum tests, and screening chest X-rays have not been shown to be cost effective on a population-wide basis.
What are the long-term effects of the disease?

Se I cancers are considered curable by surgical removal 50 to 90% of the time.
Se II are curable, but less than 50% of the time. Curability drops off rapidly in later se disease.
People with se III-B and IV have an average survival of less than 1 year.
Small cell lung cancer with bulky static disease has a survival of less than 1 year as well. Some patients with grossly limited small cell lung cancer can survive for more than 2 years with aggressive treatment with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
What are the risks to others?

Others are not put at risk since this type of cancer is not considered conious. People who continue to smoke expose others to the toxic substances in second hand smoke. Radon is a risk factor for any type of lung cancer. Asbestos has been linked to some non-small cell lung cancers.

Treatment & Monitoring

What are the treatments for the disease?

Small cell lung cancer spreads throughout the body. It is sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgery to remove the cancer where it started is usually not helpful. Multiple agent chemotherapy is given with limited or extensive small cell lung cancer. Response rates are good and some complete remissions are attainable. Chemotherapy is often followed or sandwiched with radiation therapy to the Primary cancer site. Radiation to the brain has been used with small cell lung cancer because this is where it often spreads, even after treatment has been finished. Chemotherapy drugs that are used include etoposide, cisplatin, carboplatin, doxorubicin, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide.
Limited se non-small cell, such as se I and II cancer, are considered curable. Treatment includes the partial removal of the lung and the removal of lymph nodes in the chest cavity. This is followed up with radiation therapy. Chemotherapy in addition to the radiation may or may not be helpful. Pre- or postoperative chemotherapy have been given along with complete surgical removal. People with higher ses of cancer are not likely to benefit from extensive surgery. They are treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy to relieve symptoms and make them comfortable. Radiation therapy can be given from the outside of the body or through the windpipe. Chemotherapy drugs that have given response include vinblastine, vincristine, cisplatin, etoposide, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
People who's cancer has spread to the brain may benefit from whole brain irradiation and corticosteroids to reduce brain swelling. Radiation and/or chemotherapy may relieve other symtoms including painful enlarged liver, bone pain caused by stases from the lung cancer, or general failing health.
Fluid in the chest containing cancerous cells is treated with needle or chest tube drainage followed by instillation of chemotherapy into the space within the chest that holds the lungs. This will dry up any fluid and improve symptoms. Normal lung is very sensitive to radiation damage, so a complete lung cannot be exposed to radiation. Experimental therapies are desirable for treatment of all ses of this disease since it has been so common and highly lethal. Additional information will benefit the hundreds of thousands of people who have yet to develop this disease. People with this disease often suffer from too much calcium in the blood. It is treated with corticosteroids, diphosphonate medicine, or Primary treatment of the cancer.
A team of medical experts is often needed to manage lung cancer. This includes thoracic surgeons, radiation therapists, cancer specialists, lung specialists, and radiologists. Experimental treatments are available at many local, regional, or national institutions. New drugs are being developed and tried in people who have incurable lung cancer. Terminal care can be provided by a hospice-d team.
What are the side effects of the treatments?

When surgery is done to remove part of a lung, it can result in the lung not being able to work. Before surgery, it is important to test the uninvolved lung to see if this can be tolerated. Opening the chest cavity is major surgery, and can have significant illness and even death associated with it.
Side effects of radiation include:
skin burn
redness, swelling, and pain in the lining of the esophagus, a condition called esophagitis
injuring the lungs
fatigue
nausea
Chemotherapy also has many side effects. The drugs that are used will cause:
hair loss
nausea
vomiting
lowered blood counts and risks of infections
potential need for transfusions
abnormal bleeding or blood clotting
damage to nerves, kidneys, and liver
People who receive radiation to the brain can have:
problems with short-term memory losses
difficulty walking
coordination problems
loss of brain cells
Some people may need daily oxygen even if they didn't before treatment. This disease can recur in spite of all of the above treatments.
What happens after treatment for the disease?

After treatment, people will be followed for lung function, any delayed or prolonged side effects of the treatments, and for recurrence of the disease.
How is the disease monitored?

Monitoring is by frequent visits to the healthcare provider. Physical exams, laboratory tests, chest CT, abdominal CT, and sometimes bronchoscopy are needed. The cancer may return within several months to a few years. People with lung cancer usually have a history of smoking. They remain at risk for development of other tumors, including another lung cancer primary.

Attribution

Author:Thomas Fisher, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Smith, Elizabeth, BA
Edit Date:05/25/00
Reviewer:Fern Carness, RN, MPH
Date Reviewed:04/11/01