Background: Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a student-centred active learning method, requiring less faculty time than other active learning methods. While TBL may have pedagogical value, individual studies present inconsistent findings. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of TBL on improving learning outcomes in health professions education. Methods: A peer-reviewed systematic review protocol was registered with the Best Evidence in Medical Education (BEME) organization. After comprehensive literature searching, title and full-text review were completed by two independent reviewers. Included studies assessed TBL and a valid comparator in health professions. Included studies were assessed for methodological quality by two independent reviewers. Studies were categorised by outcomes using the Kirkpatrick framework. Results: Of 330 screened titles, 14 were included. Seven studies reported significant increase in knowledge scores for the TBL group, four reported no difference and three showed improvement but did not comment on statistical significance. Only one study reported significant improvement in learner reaction for the TBL group while another study reported a significant difference favouring the comparator. Conclusions: Despite improvement in knowledge scores, there was mixed learner reaction. This may reflect the increased demands on learners in this student-centred teaching strategy, although further study is needed.

Objectives: Frequent emergency department (ED) users are high-risk and high-resource-utilizing patients. This systematic review evaluates effectiveness of interventions targeting adult frequent ED users in reducing visit frequency and improving patient outcomes.Methods: An a priori protocol was published in PROSPERO. Two independent reviewers screened, selected, rated quality, and extracted data. Third-party adjudication resolved disagreements. Rate ratios of post-versus pre-intervention ED visits were calculated. Data sources were from a comprehensive search that included seven databases and the gray literature. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies included experimental studies assessing the effect of interventions on frequent users' ED visits and patient-oriented outcomes.Results: A total of 6,865 citations were identified and 31 studies included. Designs were noncontrolled (n = 21) and controlled (n = 4) before-after studies and randomized controlled trials (n = 6). Frequent user definitions varied considerably and risk of bias was moderate to high. Studies examined general frequent users or those with psychiatric comorbidities, chronic disease, or low socioeconomic status or the elderly. Interventions included case management (n = 18), care plans (n = 8), diversion strategies (n = 3), printout case notes (n = 1), and social work visits (n = 1). Post-versus pre-intervention rate ratios were calculated for 25 studies and indicated a significant visit decrease in 21 (84%) of these studies. The median rate ratio was 0.63 (interquartile range = 0.41 to 0.71), indicating that the general effect of the interventions described was to decrease ED visits post-intervention. Significant visit decreases were found for a majority of studies in subgroup analyses based on 6-or 12-month follow-up, definition thresholds, clinical frequent user subgroups, and intervention types. Studies reporting homelessness found consistent improvements in stable housing. Overall, interstudy heterogeneity was high. The authors have no potential conflicts to disclose. PROSPERO registration number CRD42014015058. Study group authorship: Jessica Moe conceptualized and drafted the protocol, screened abstracts and articles for inclusion, extracted data, analyzed data, and wrote the manuscript; Scott Kirkland helped to draft the protocol, screened abstracts and articles for inclusion, analyzed data, assessed study quality, and wrote sections of the manuscript; Erin Rawe drafted the protocol and extracted data; Maria Ospina helped to draft the protocol, assessed study quality, and provided third-party adjudication for inclusion screening and quality assessment; Ben Vandermeer helped to plan and perform the statistical analysis; Sandy Campbell developed and ran the search strategy; Brian H. Rowe conceptualized the protocol, provided third-party adjudication for inclusion screening and quality assessment, analyzed data, and wrote a section of the manuscript. All authors reviewed, edited, and approved the final manuscript. Existing evide...

Gastric cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis has an extremely poor prognosis, which may be improved with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). We systematically reviewed the literature regarding the efficacy of CRS + HIPEC in these patients. Electronic databases were searched from 2000 to 2010. Following CRS + HIPEC, overall median survival was 7.9 months and improved to 15 months for patients with completeness of cytoreduction scores of 0/1, however with a 30-day mortality rate of 4.8%.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) devices are widely used for the estimation of serum bilirubin levels in term and near-term infants. Our objective was to review the diagnostic accuracy of TcB devices in preterm infants.METHODS: Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus were searched (from database inception date until December 2012). Additional citations were identified by using the bibliographies of selected articles and from conference proceedings. The studies were included if they compared TcB with total serum bilirubin in preterm infants before phototherapy and presented data as correlation coefficients or as BlandAltman difference plots. Data were extracted by 1 reviewer and checked for accuracy by the second reviewer. An assessment tool (quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies) was used for risk of bias assessments. RESULTS:Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria; 21 studies reported results as correlation coefficients, with pooled estimates of r = 0.83 for each site of measurement. Pooled estimates in infants ,32 weeks' gestation were similar to the overall preterm population (r = 0.89 [95% confidence interval: 0.82-0.93]). For the 2 commonly used TcB devices (ie, JM103 and BiliCheck), the results were comparable at the forehead site, although the JM103 device exhibited better correlation at the sternum. Analysis of the BlandAltman plots (13 studies) revealed negligible bias in measurement at the forehead or sternum site by using either the JM-103 or BiliCheck device; however, the JM-103 device exhibited better precision than the BiliCheck (SD for TcB -total serum bilirubin differences: 24.3 and 31.98 mmol/L, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:The TcB devices reliably estimated bilirubin levels in preterm infants and could be used in clinical practice to reduce blood sampling.

PROSPERO (CRD42013005855).

Background: Audience response systems (ARS) represent one approach to make classroom learning more active. Although ARS may have pedagogical value, their impact is still unclear. This systematic review aims to examine the effect of ARS on learning outcomes in health professions education. Methods: After a comprehensive literature search, two reviewers completed title screening, full-text review and quality assessment of comparative studies in health professions education. Qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis of immediate and longer term knowledge scores were conducted. Results: Twenty-one of 1013 titles were included. Most studies evaluated ARS in lectures (20 studies) and in undergraduates (14 studies). Fourteen studies reported statistically significant improvement in knowledge scores with ARS. Meta-analysis showed greater differences with non-randomised study design. Qualitative synthesis showed greater differences with non-interactive teaching comparators and in postgraduates. Six of 21 studies reported student reaction; 5 favoured ARS while 1 had mixed results. Conclusion: This review provides some evidence to suggest the effectiveness of ARS in improving learning outcomes. These findings are more striking when ARS teaching is compared to non-interactive sessions and when non-randomised study designs are used. This review highlights the importance of having high quality studies with balanced comparators available to those making curricular decisions.

This study supports the use of different instructional methods that engage learners and provide meaningful learning contexts. The majority of the studies support patient educators and interactive small group teaching.

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