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The article focuses on the highlights from the 2024 ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting, showcasing abstracts from the Faculty of Pain Medicine's Best Free Paper Award session, including the advancements in chronic pain management, the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral techniques.

The article presents the discussion on 2023 ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) was held on 5–9 May 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Background Executive skills refer to a set of cognitive skills that allow individuals to engage in goal directed behavior. They encompass planning, initiation, inhibition, monitoring and flexibility in approach to tasks, and are necessary for functional competence. Executive skills are vulnerable to disruption with damage to the brain, as occurs with dementia. Methods Participants were recruited from a tertiary memory assessment and support Service. The Assessment of Motor & Process Skills (AMPS), a standardised observational assessment of occupational performance (1Fischer, 2003) was administered by trained Occupational Therapists. In addition, the EXIT-25, a pen & paper based assessment of executive skills (2Royall et al, 1992) was administered. Process scores from the AMPS, and overall score from the EXIT 25 were utilised for correlation analysis. Results 22 participants, 12 male and 10 females, age range 60-91 (mean 75.5 years), was analysed using Spearman's Rho correlation (-.2). Results did not identify a strong correlation Conclusion Dementia is commonly regarded as a disorder of memory. However, diagnosis is dependent on functional decline related to cognitive decline. The AMPS provides a formal assessment of functional skills, in terms of motor & process skills with cut off scores regarding safe independent living. The results of this study indicate that the AMPS is not associated with executive scores on formal cognitive assessments, highlighting the value of an extensive multi-component MDT approach (also incorporating history taking, imaging, bio marker testing etc.) in assessing and diagnosing a dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome editing retraces the evolution of toxin resistance in the monarch butterfly. Organizing evolution: founding the Society for the Study of Evolution, 1939-1947. Ecology and evolution of plant resistance to herbivores and pathogens: ecology, evolution, and genetics. In 1946, a small group of individuals founded the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE); altogether 58 signed the founding document (Cain 1993; Smocovitis 1994). [Extracted from the article]

A call for papers and panels is presented in regards to the International Society for Public Law's Inaugural Conference which is scheduled to be held on June 26-28, 2014 in Florence, Italy, and it also provides an introduction to the journal and acknowledgments for contributors such as Asli Bali

Calls for papers for the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists' midyear clinical meeting in Atlanta, Georgia from December 8 to 12, 2002. Prior publication or presentation; Authorship; Publication rights; Preparation of paper for submission.

A conference paper is presented which reports about the Executive Committee's conclusions on the issues related to women at risk that is presented at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the Executive Committee's 35th plenary meeting on February 17, 2006. It discusses the possible scope of conclusion on displaced women and girls at risk. The article elaborates the definition of displaced women and girls at risk to protect women and children refugees.

The article presents the summaries of the papers presented at the Historical Archive Symposium. The Nikolsky sign is one of the first diagnostic terms the trainee dermatologist learns for assessing a bullous disease. However, little is known about the life and work of the prominent Russian dermatologist Pyotr Vasilyevich Nikolsky himself. Nikolsky was born in 1858 in Usman in the Tambov gubernatorial region of Russia. Epidemiological studies have always played an important part in dermatology. No other disease has linked the triad of geographic distribution, genetic predisposition and prevalence more so than Behçet's disease, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers.

The article presents the summaries of papers on dermatology presented at the Registrars Symposium. The longest follow-up study of oral retinoids for disorders of keratinization (DOK) up to now is 10 years. The aim of the study was to assess long-term disease response and side-effects in a cohort of patients with DOK, who were among the first in the world to commence oral retinoids 25 years ago.

Relates the summaries of papers presented to the British Society for Pediatric Dermatology during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Cutaneous manifestation of congenital rubella syndrome; Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome with associated limb reduction; Childhood-onset lichen sclerosus and vulval squamous cell carcinoma.

Presents the summaries of papers on dermatology presented during the main plenary session at the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Thiopurine methyltransferase screening prior to azathioprine treatment; Treatment of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis with azathioprine; Mycophenolate mofetil in immunoglobullous disease.

Presents the summaries of papers presented to the British Society for Dermapathology during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Sentinel lymph node sampling in malignant melanoma; Apocrine carcinoma of the skin; Deep penetrating nevus.

Lists the summaries of papers presented to the British Society for Dermatological Surgery during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Measurement of the subclinical extent of lentigo maligna; Waiting times for malignant surgery; Suspected skin malignancies in renal transplant recipients.

Relates the summaries of papers on photodermatology presented to the British Photodermatology Group meeting held during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Guidelines for topical photodynamic therapy; Review of patients with idiopathic solar urticaria; Epidermal cell DNA damage and repai in vivo in skin cancer cases.

Presents the summaries of papers on dermatology presented at the Registrar's Forum during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Effect of environmental exposures on genes determining variation in nevus density; Comparison between narrow-band with broadband ultraviolet B for psoriasis.

Presents the summaries of papers on clinico-pathological cases in dermatology presented during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Subcutaneous infection with Scytalidium dimidiatum; Late-onset erythropoietic protoporphyria; Paraneoplastic pemphigus associated with Castleman's tumor.

Presents the summaries of papers presented to the British Contact Dermatitis Group during the 81st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists held in Cardiff, Wales on July 3-7, 2001. Evaluation of patch test data; Audit of Finn Chamber patch test preparation; Contact allergens in nurses with hand dermatitis.

Focuses on an annual symposium on pediatric dermatology held in Bristol in November 8 to November 9, 2003. Allergic contact dermatitis in children; Case study of all children suffering from the disease; Treatment given to children suffering from the disease.

The article presents the Comprehensive Implementation Plan (CIP) adopted during the Special Organization of African Unity (OAU)/United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Meeting of Government and Non-Government Technical Experts on the 30th Anniversary of the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention, held in Conakry, Guinea on March 27-29, 2000. The plan of action for the ratification/accession to international instruments and their effective implementation and related activities is discussed. A table outlining the plan of action is also presented.

Information about the paper discussed at the 15th meeting of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme Standing Committee is presented. It explores the UNHCR's Reach Out consultative initiative against a backdrop of unprecedented challenges to the Office's refugee protection mandate. It mentions the effort of several governments to promote accessions to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

A correction is presented to the article "ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) Best Free Paper Award Session Abstracts" published in November 29, 2022 issue.

In June 2019, the 12th International Conference on Halophilic Microorganisms – Halophiles 2019, was held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. This thematic issue of FEMS Microbiology Letters contains papers based on lectures and posters presented at the conference. We here provide a short overview of past research on hypersaline environments in Romania and the microorganisms inhabiting them, and briefly present the papers published in this thematic issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is a challenging lack of evidence to inform best practice in the routine clinical care of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Wide inter-centre variation in the definition and documentation of clinical data items is a major barrier to improvement. In response, we have developed a consensus agreed standardised core dataset called CAPTURE-JIA (n = 62 data items and a 'data dictionary' including agreed definitions of terms) designed to support routine collection of high-quality clinical data. The feasibility and acceptability of CAPTURE-JIA in clinical practice is not yet known and was the focus of this pilot study. Methods A purposeful sample of six paediatric rheumatology centres across England was invited to collect the CAPTURE-JIA dataset using paper collection forms (n = 20 patients/centre). The dataset was analysed for missing data. Six focus groups (n = 3-10) explored clinicians' views on acceptability and feasibility. Results One hundred and twenty-one patients were recruited over three months. The completeness of the dataset was similar across centres, with minor variations. The majority of data items (eg demographics, dates, ILAR type and examination) were >80% completed. However, 14/62 data items received >40% missing data. (Table 1) Further descriptive analyses highlighted incorrect completion of paper forms. Three themes emerged from the focus groups: problematic data items (missing from >10% forms at > 1 centre), format of clinician data forms and the role of digital data collection. Suggested solutions included minor changes to data item definitions and formatting. There were no refinements to the data items. Development of a digital data collection system was identified by all as essential. Due to a lack of clear consensus, the original CAPTURE forms included a number of ways to record joint count data. This proved confusing and a unanimous decision was taken to collect joint count data on all 83 joints in a tabular format. P10 Table 1: CAPTURE JIA data items with >40% missing data Data item  % forms with data item missing (if item required)  Relevant co-morbidities?  60  Macrophage activation syndrome?  100  Has the ILAR subtype changed?  50  Morning stiffness lasting >15 minutes?  42  History of any form of uveitis?  52  Date started uveitis mediation?  50  Strength of uveitis medication?  83  Counselled prior to new DMARD / biologic?  56  Enrolled in BECS/BCRD if new DMARD / biologic?  48  Joint count (homunculus or table format)  48  Physician assessment of systemic disease activity (VAS)  75  ESR  74  CRP  92  Plasma viscosity  100  Data item  % forms with data item missing (if item required)  Relevant co-morbidities?  60  Macrophage activation syndrome?  100  Has the ILAR subtype changed?  50  Morning stiffness lasting >15 minutes?  42  History of any form of uveitis?  52  Date started uveitis mediation?  50  Strength of uveitis medication?  83  Counselled prior to new DMARD / biologic?  56  Enrolled in BECS/BCRD if new DMARD / biologic?  48  Joint count (homunculus or table format)  48  Physician assessment of systemic disease activity (VAS)  75  ESR  74  CRP  92  Plasma viscosity  100  P10 Table 1: CAPTURE JIA data items with >40% missing data Data item  % forms with data item missing (if item required)  Relevant co-morbidities?  60  Macrophage activation syndrome?  100  Has the ILAR subtype changed?  50  Morning stiffness lasting >15 minutes?  42  History of any form of uveitis?  52  Date started uveitis mediation?  50  Strength of uveitis medication?  83  Counselled prior to new DMARD / biologic?  56  Enrolled in BECS/BCRD if new DMARD / biologic?  48  Joint count (homunculus or table format)  48  Physician assessment of systemic disease activity (VAS)  75  ESR  74  CRP  92  Plasma viscosity  100  Data item  % forms with data item missing (if item required)  Relevant co-morbidities?  60  Macrophage activation syndrome?  100  Has the ILAR subtype changed?  50  Morning stiffness lasting >15 minutes?  42  History of any form of uveitis?  52  Date started uveitis mediation?  50  Strength of uveitis medication?  83  Counselled prior to new DMARD / biologic?  56  Enrolled in BECS/BCRD if new DMARD / biologic?  48  Joint count (homunculus or table format)  48  Physician assessment of systemic disease activity (VAS)  75  ESR  74  CRP  92  Plasma viscosity  100  Conclusion Paper collection of the CAPTURE-JIA data items is feasible and acceptable in the routine clinical setting, but unlikely to be sustainable in the longer term if collected in duplicate with medical notes. A digital tool in the clinical domain, ideally interlocking with local systems, would offer many advantages, including more complete and time-efficient data collection. Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calls for professional papers for presentation at the mid-year Clinical Meeting of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in Orlando, Florida. Changes in the submission process to improve the quality of the presentations; Deadline for Management Case Study, professional, student and resident poster submissions; Selection criteria that will be used by a blinded peer review panel.

The article presents the text of the opening statement by Soren Jessen-Petersen during the Special Organization of African Unity (OAU)/United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Meeting of Government and Non-Government Technical Experts on the 30th Anniversary of the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention held in Conakry, Guinea on March 27-29, 2000. He asserts that the OAU Refugee Convention has demonstrated its relevance and resilience since its adoption. He also discusses the most obvious protection challenges that the UNHCR deals with in Africa.

GRAND ROUNDS SCHEDULE  Pediatric Grand Rounds: Friday, October 27 Adult Grand Rounds: Friday, October 27 PAPER SESSIONS SCHEDULE  Paper Session: Assessment: Friday, October 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm Paper Session: Neurological/Neuropsychiatric: Friday, October 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm POSTER SESSIONS SCHEDULE  Poster Session A: Wednesday, October 25, 6:00pm - 7:00pm Poster Session B: Thursday, October 26, 6:00pm - 7:00pm AWARDS SCHEDULE  Student & Diversity Poster Awards: Wednesday, October 25, 1:15pm The abstracts published in this special edition are provided as a service to the membership of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the conference attendees, and the field of clinical neuropsychology. Abstracts in this issue have been reviewed by the Poster Committee for the 43rd Annual Conference of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. They have not undergone the standard peer-reviewed process for papers published in Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. The Conference Poster Chair and the Editor-in-Chief of Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology request that the following method be used in citing published abstracts based upon a poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. Author 1 & Author 2 (2023) [Abstract published in Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, vol, page number]. Abstract Title. Based upon poster presented at the 43rd Annual Conference of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, Philadelphia, PA. National Academy of Neuropsychology  Abstracts from the 43rd Annual Conference  October 25–28, 2023  Conference Abstracts Accepted under the Guest Editorship of Seth A. Margolis, Ph.D., Poster Chair. Members of the 2023 NAN Poster Program Review Committee:  Ashlee Loughan Brett Parmenter Brian Ivins Christian LoBue Cynthia Funes Dede O'Shea Douglas Cooper Geoffrey Tremont Jennifer Davis Jeremy Davis Justin Karr Karen Sullivan Katherine Kane Keenan Walker Kevin O'Brien Kristin Wilmoth Kyle Noll Mathew Thornton Noelle Carlozzi Rael Lange Sara Lippa Seth Margolis Stephen Woods Surabi Patwardhan Vanessa Williams Victor Del Bene Victoria Merritt [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the author discusses their efforts as members of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) to help in mitigating climate change. Also cited are their strategies like recycling paper, food waste, and containers, their issuance of biodegradable membership cards, and their environmentally-responsible actions for their annual international conference.

The article calls for papers for the 13th conference of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM) to be held from June 26 to 30, 2011.

Information on the 4th International Symposium on Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation (ISHTEC2012) held in Guangzhou, China on January 6-9, 2012 is presented. It says that the conference was organized by Key Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation at the Education Ministry of the South China University of Technology. Moreover, a warm response from researchers in the heat transfer was received by the conference.

Multilateral conferences are the bread-and-butter of international politics. In such settings, countries may pursue their interests individually, but most of the time they prefer to act through coalitions. Such coalitions are overlapping, creating a network structure. States build and utilize networks to get agenda items pushed through or to block unfavorable ones. While sometimes they are formed on the basis of formal institutions (such as the NAM or the EU), frequently their membership is based on either ad hoc cooperation or existing informal bodies (such as the NSG, New Agenda Coalition, or Zangger Committee). The attention to such networks is, however, still in its infancy. This paper looks at how state networks within one of the most important recurring diplomatic conferences—the quinquennial NPT Review Conference—develop and transform over time. By doing so, the paper maps the existing networks and explains their transformation as an instrument of global governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the resolution on the growing number of internally displaced persons in Africa adopted during the Special Organization of African Unity (OAU)/United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Meeting of Government and Non-Government Technical Experts on the 30th Anniversary of the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention, held in Conakry, Guinea on March 27-29, 2000. The meeting of experts urges OAU members states to adhere to the "Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement." It also urges OAU to take measures to address the problem.

How stable genotypes interact with their environment to generate phenotypic variation that can be acted upon by evolutionary and ecological forces is a central focus of research across many scientific disciplines represented within SICB. The Building Bridges Symposium brought together scientists using a variety of organisms, methods, and levels of biological organization to study the emergent properties of genomes. Workshops associated with the Symposium aimed to identify the leading edges and major barriers to research in this field, and to recommend future directions that might accelerate the pace of progress. The papers included in this Symposium volume draw attention to the strength of using comparative approaches in non-model organisms to study the many aspects of genotype–environment interaction that drive phenotype variation. These contributions and the concluding white paper also illustrate the need for novel conceptual frameworks that can bridge and accommodate data and conclusions from the broad range of study systems employed by comparative and integrative biologists to address genome-to-phenome questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This supplement describes the content, processes, and outcomes of the Research Priorities in Caregiving Summit convened by the Family Caregiving Institute (FCI) at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis in March 2018. As described in the editorial introduction and the supplement's four papers, the summit sought to integrate and cross-pollenate the already compendious work on family caregiving to describe ways forward in the field. Thought-provoking commissioned synthesizing papers on issues of heterogeneity and trajectories of caregiving and its cultural embeddedness and on the potential of technology to shape and enhance caregiving interventions set the stage for a highly disciplined, multistaged process that resulted in the drafting of a set of research themes and priorities that were later finalized by faculty at the FCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article lists the members of the 2014 Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology Proceedings Papers Committee including Kevin Cohen, for Applied Bioinformatics, Michael Brudno, for Sequence Analysis, and Jason Papin, for Metabolic Networks.

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, UK (13th-15th May 2009), under the presidency of Professor Michael Horrocks. To view the abstracts from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2009 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, UK (13th-15th May 2009), under the presidency of Professor Michael Horrocks. To view the abstracts from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2009 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK (14th - 16th May 2008), under the presidency of Professor Brian J Rowlands. To view all abstracts of poster presentations from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2008 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK (14th - 16th May 2008), under the presidency of Professor Brian J Rowlands. To view all abstracts of oral presentations from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2008 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at Manchester Central (18th - 20th April 2007), under the presidency of Professor Brian J Rowlands. To view all abstracts of poster presentations from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at Manchester Central (18th - 20th April 2007), under the presidency of Professor Brian J Rowlands. To view all abstracts of oral presentations from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 41st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland was held in Edinburgh, UK 22nd - 24th November 2006. The prize abstracts from this meeting are published in the print edition of BJS (vol 94: issue 2, February 2007). To view all other abstracts from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2007 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Vascular Society AGM was held at the Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK 23rd - 25th November 2005. To view all abstracts from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following graduation from the University of Reading in 1946, I was offered a job as a "Naturalist" at the Lowestoft Fisheries Laboratory. I learned to appreciate Michael Graham, the director, and was incredibly lucky to have such a man as my first boss and mentor. During my few months working alone before Ray Beverton returned from Cambridge, I put together the simple yield equation in the form in which it was eventually published, and produced most of the theorems that you may see in Parts I and II of Beverton and Holt (On the Dynamics of Exploited Fish Populations. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, UK. 533 pp.). When Ray returned, we began to work seriously together in 1947–1950 to complete the substantive work on the book. The three lumps of coal was the fuel brought daily into our office in an annex to the main laboratory to keep us warm while working. Before leaving Lowestoft in 1950 for the Nature Conservancy, considerable time was devoted to publishing papers and "diversions" such as attending/speaking at conferences and international negotiations, as well as research on possible effects on fish of low-level radioactive wastes from a nuclear power plant. In late 1953, I resigned from the Nature Conservancy and accepted a position with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The transition of older persons between care settings is recognised as a particularly critical and vulnerable period (Renom-Guiteras et al. 2014). Appropriate documentation and processes are key in assisting the provision of quality, safe, person-centred care when transferring older persons from residential to acute care settings. This paper reports on the design phase of a national transfer document for older persons. The objective was to inform the development of a draft national transfer document. Methods Development consisted of two phases 1) an integrative review and 2) focus group interviews with stakeholders. The review was guided by Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) integrative review framework. Data from studies using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were extracted and thematically analysed. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, focus group interviews (n=8) were conducted with a convenience sample of key stakeholders (n=68) to establish their perspectives regarding transfer documents. Data were analysed using content analysis. Results from both phases were integrated to guide the development of the draft document. A multidisciplinary panel of experts in older persons care, reviewed and provided feedback on the draft transfer document. Results Within the review, thirty identified papers focused on transfer documentation between residential and acute care. Results indicated that using a standardised document can potentiate the delivery and acceptance of relevant person-centred information between all parties when transferring an older person between residential and acute care settings. Qualitative interview findings highlighted important aspects for consideration regarding the layout, content and format of future transfer documentation. Following collaboration with the expert panel the transfer document was developed for piloting. Conclusion Consistency and clarity of information is key for a successful transfer of older persons from residential to acute settings. Information needs to be evidence-based, current, and subject to response and change in accordance with best available international practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Acute Medical Ambulatory Centre (AMAC) was established with the goals of facilitating early discharge and preventing avoidable medical admissions. 12 months post its introduction, the service was inefficient and operating under capacity. A project aimed to improve the AMAC referral processes and increase the centre's overall efficiency was undertaken. Methods Western Australia Department of Health Clinical Service Redesign methodology (a blend of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies) was used to complete the project. This involved process mapping, root cause analysis and solutions sessions with stakeholders, as well as a semi-structured phone interview with patients. Results Transition from a paper-based to an electronic referral system. Creation of an 'AMAC Quick Reference Guide' for doctors. Production of an AMAC contact card to be given to patients on discharge if they   have AMAC follow up. Letters detailing the patient review are forwarded on the day of the appointment facilitating timely feedback to GPs. An AMAC information flyer for GPs is now available on the hospital website. Conclusion Redesigning the referral process to the AMAC has improved workflow and efficiency with significant improvements in staff satisfaction. The institution is aiming to become paperless and this redesign project has led to the elimination of another paper form. The success of the project is testament to the engagement of the staff involved and demonstrates the need for doctors to not only engage their medical colleagues, but also nursing and clerical staff. The redesign project has helped refocus hospital priorities and should hopefully see further support for the centre; developing the ambulatory model of care as an integral part of the service provided. Other centres can learn valuable lessons from our experience and develop similar strategies to cope with the ever-increasing demands on the public healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Developing age-friendly communities is a significant global policy issue. The WHO (2007) age-friendly cities and communities initiative has had a significant influence on the development of Ireland's Age-Friendly Programme. With research on such programmes still at an early stage, this paper critically examines the utilisation of the WHO age-friendly planning framework in an Irish context. It explores older adults' experience of living in two towns in an 'age-friendly' county and, in parallel, examines stakeholders' perspectives on the development of the county's age-friendly programme. This multi-perspectival approach facilitates an assessment of how the age-friendly county programme addresses older residents' needs, and illustrates how the WHO conceptual and planning framework has worked in an Irish context. Methods The paper reports on a study which employed a mixed-method, qualitative case-study research design, using a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the lived experience of older adults, and a case-study framework for the stakeholder perspective. Results The research identifies salient social and cultural dimensions of the day-to-day lived experience of older people which, although they impact on the age-friendliness of the places in which they live, are neglected in the WHO framework. It also identifies a unique combination of economic, political, cultural, and organisational factors which have impacted on age-friendly programme development in Ireland. Conclusion In critically analysing use of the WHO age-friendly model, the paper suggests ways in which the model can be modified to better accommodate the diverse experience of older adults not only in Ireland, but also in other geographic and cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]