Objective To develop, implement and evaluate a personalized patient discharge letter (PPDL) to improve the quality of handoff communication from hospital to home. Design From the end of 2006–09 we conducted a quality improvement project; consisting of a before–after evaluation design, and a process evaluation. …

PURPOSE: The early detection of a decline in daily functioning of independently living older people can aid health care professionals in providing preventive interventions. To monitor daily activity patterns and, thereby detect a decline in daily functioning, new technologies, such as sensors can be …

Itch (pruritus) is a common multidimensional complaint after burn that can persist for months to years. A questionnaire able to investigate itch and its consequences is imperative for clinical and research purposes. The current study investigated the factor structure, internal consistency and construct …

BACKGROUND: Many intensive care unit survivors (ICU) are confronted with undesirable and long-lasting impairments in physical, cognitive, and mental health, but not only patients are at risk of developing this post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Family members can experience symptoms of depression, …

RATIONALE: Currently there is no consensus on protein requirements for obese older adults during weight loss. Here we explore the potential use of a new method for assessment of protein requirements based on changes in appendicular muscle mass during weight loss. METHODS: 60 obese older adults were subjected …

Objectives To identify distinct sets of disability trajectories in the year before and after a Medicare qualifying skilled nursing facility (Q-SNF) admission, evaluate the associations between the pre–and post–Q-SNF disability trajectories, and determine short-term outcomes (readmission, mortality). …

Objective Although regular physical activity is an effective secondary prevention strategy for patients with a chronic disease, it is unclear whether patients change their daily physical activity after being diagnosed. Therefore, the aims of this study were to (1) describe changes in levels of physical …

OBJECTIVES: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) frequently encounter weight loss with multiple negative outcomes as a consequence. Adequate treatment is best achieved by early identification of patients at risk for critical weight loss. The objective of this study was to detect predictive factors …

Background To describe the prevalence of multimorbidity and to study the association between acute and chronic diseases in acutely hospitalized older patients Methods Prospective cohort study conducted between 2006 and 2008 in three teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. 639 patients aged 65 years and …

While acute musculoskeletal pain is a frequent complaint, its management is often neglected. An implementation of a nurse-initiated pain protocol based on the algorithm of a Dutch pain management guideline in the emergency department might improve this. A pre-post intervention study was performed as …