Family physicians are often tasked with ensuring patients have the durable medical equipment (DME) they need for a given ailment. This includes nebulizers, rolling walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, and hospital beds. Family physicians are expected to be familiar with the DME indications and ordering procedures in order to obtain these items for their patients. For many of our family medicine residents, this is a vast and overwhelming facet of primary care that is often dreaded due to lack of knowledge concerning medical indications and processes of ordering DME. Therefore, our project at ETSU Family Medicine Residency of Bristol aimed to improve our residents comfort with and understanding of the clinic’s protocol surrounding the ordering of DME. We started with an evaluation of our residents’ knowledge and comfort with the indications, ordering protocol, and documentation requirements of durable medical equipment. We then conducted an educational didactic on the information needed to be able to document and order DME in our clinic. Additionally, we provided our physicians with “dot phrase macros” for proper documentation required when ordering DME through insurance. After the presentation, we re-assessed the resident’s knowledge and comfort with understanding and ordering DME in our clinic. We found that overall there was an improvement in the residents’ comfort and understanding of the DME ordering processes as well as an improvement in their knowledge of DME ordering requirements. As a result of these findings, we plan to continue DME education for all future residents at ETSU Family Medicine Residency of Bristol.

INTRODUCTION: Device discontinuance is a widespread problem with assistive technology (AT) and durable medical equipment (DME), affecting approximately one third of people with disabilities who successfully acquire equipment. Consumers’ dissatisfaction with service and device-related factors can directly lead to AT device non-use. Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory provides a foundation for understanding how to address device discontinuance, potentially through follow-up services. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this doctoral capstone is to discuss the piloting and feasibility of using follow-up outcome measures in an outpatient occupational therapy rehabilitation setting in order to identify and address challenges with equipment discontinuance. METHODS: A sample of 69 clients receiving equipment recommendations from a specialty AT clinic were contacted. The COPM, ATUFS, and QUEST 2.0 were piloted to measure device use and satisfaction. The feasibility of using these measures within a follow-up protocol for this outpatient practice was then evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 63% of the sample (N=69) was successfully contacted. The site-specific protocol successfully determined whether these clients had acquired and used their devices, subsequently allowing AT practitioners to provide additional supports for clients who had experienced discontinuance or non-acquisition. CONCLUSION: Using standardized outcome measures to follow-up with clients in this setting was deemed not feasible secondary to time constraints and difficulty contacting clients. Recommendations for improving follow-up with and without use of standardized measures is discussed. Follow-up encouraged clients to schedule additional appointments, utilize recommended funding resources, or seek out referrals.

INTRODUÇÃO: Durante procedimentos endovasculares, estão presentes os riscos relacionados ao uso dos contrastes iodados, tais como a nefropatia por contraste, uma vez que é fundamental o emprego de um meio de contraste para a obtenção das imagens radiológicas vasculares. A injeção intravascular de gás CO2 purificado é reconhecidamente uma alternativa relativamente mais segura ao contraste iodado, contudo, seu manuseio artesanal pode também trazer dificuldades técnicas e riscos aos pacientes. Para contemplar estas questões, foi desenvolvido o protótipo de um injetor intravascular de CO2 medicinal, microprocessado, dedicado à obtenção de imagens angiográficas. OBJETIVOS: Realizar os testes de viabilidade técnica inicial do protótipo em modelo in vivo. MÉTODOS: Realizar a angioplastia da artéria renal esquerda de 10 porcos, divididos em 2 grupos: Grupo 1 (n=5) injeção de contraste iodado, Grupo 2 (n=5) injeção de CO2 através do protótipo. Monitorização clínica e laboratorial dos animais no pré, intra e pós-operatório, com exames de função renal na véspera e 48h após os procedimentos e 3 gasometrias arteriais seriadas no intra-operatório. Observação clínica foi mantida por 48h no pós- operatório. RESULTADOS: Os procedimentos de angioplastia com CO2 foram realizados com sucesso técnico de 100%, sem necessidade de complementação com injeção de contraste iodado no Grupo 2. Não foram identificadas falhas no protótipo em funcionamento. Não foram identificadas alterações clínicas ou radiológicas sugestivas de contaminação por ar ambiente do sistema de CO2 e nem alterações laboratoriais nos animais. As imagens angiográficas obtidas no Grupo 2 foram consideradas, numa avaliação subjetiva, relativamente inferiores às imagens obtidas no Grupo 1. DISCUSSÃO: A qualidade inferior de imagem no Grupo 2 pode ser atribuída ao equipamento de fluoroscopia utilizado, com software desatualizado em relação aos equipamentos atuais, que incluem pré-configurações para angiografia com CO2; no entanto, ainda assim todos os procedimentos propostos no Grupo 2 foram realizados com sucesso técnico, o que nos leva a classificar as imagens deste grupo 2 como satisfatórias. O manuseio do aparelho mostrou-se ágil e eficiente, com a programação dos parâmetros sendo realizada com facilidade através do visor \"touch screen\", comparativamente superior ao método artesanal de injeção de CO2 com seringas em selo d\'água. CONCLUSÕES: O protótipo do aparelho injetor intravascular de CO2 funcionou de forma adequada durante os testes e as imagens obtidas permitiram a compleição com sucesso dos procedimentos. Portanto, os resultados positivos obtidos sugerem que o equipamento é tecnicamente viável / INTRODUCTION: During endovascular procedures, several risks related to iodinated contrast media are taken, such as Contrast Induced Nephropathy, since these are fundamental to obtain radiological vascular images under fluoroscopy. Intravascular medical grade CO2 injection is a widely accepted and relatively safer alternative to iodinated contrast, but its handling and manual delivery system could as well bring risks to patients, such as room air injection. To address these problems, we developed a prototype for a micro processed intravascular medicinal CO2 injector, dedicated to help obtain angiographic images. OBJECTIVES: To perform the in vivo Early Feasibility Clinical Studies of the prototype. METHODS: Perform a left renal artery angioplasty of 10 pigs, divided in 2 groups: Group 1 (n=5) injection of iodinated contrast and Group 2 (n=5) injection of CO2 with the prototype. Clinical and laboratorial data were measured pre, peri and post-operatively, by pre-operative and 48h post- operative creatinine tests and 3 peri-operative serial arterial blood gas analysis. Animais were kept under clinical observation for 48h after procedures. RESUL TS: Angioplasty procedures had 100% technical success in both groups, without the need of extra imaging with iodinated contrast in Group 2. There were no technical failures with the prototype. There were no identifiable clinical or radiological signs of room air intravascular injections. Ali laboratorial measurements were under normal value ranges. Angiography images obtained in Group 2 were subjectively considered inferior to images from Group 1. DISCUSSION: The inferior image quality in Group 2 could be attributed to the employed fluoroscopy equipment, since its software is not up to date to current equipment, which includes a dedicated CO2 angiography preset. Nevertheless, ali procedures in Group 2 were successful, and images in this group were therefore considered satisfactory. Handling of the prototype proved to be user friendly, since ali injection parameters are performed through a touch screen panel, much superior from previous authors experience with manual saline submerged syringe filling before intravascular injection. CONCLUSIONS: The intravascular CO2 injector prototype worked properly during the tests and the obtained images allowed successful procedures without unexpected complications, in consonance with previous positive in vitro results. Therefore, the study results suggest the positive early technical feasibility of the device

INTRODUÇÃO: Durante procedimentos endovasculares, estão presentes os riscos relacionados ao uso dos contrastes iodados, tais como a nefropatia por contraste, uma vez que é fundamental o emprego de um meio de contraste para a obtenção das imagens radiológicas vasculares. A injeção intravascular de gás CO2 purificado é reconhecidamente uma alternativa relativamente mais segura ao contraste iodado, contudo, seu manuseio artesanal pode também trazer dificuldades técnicas e riscos aos pacientes. Para contemplar estas questões, foi desenvolvido o protótipo de um injetor intravascular de CO2 medicinal, microprocessado, dedicado à obtenção de imagens angiográficas. OBJETIVOS: Realizar os testes de viabilidade técnica inicial do protótipo em modelo in vivo. MÉTODOS: Realizar a angioplastia da artéria renal esquerda de 10 porcos, divididos em 2 grupos: Grupo 1 (n=5) injeção de contraste iodado, Grupo 2 (n=5) injeção de CO2 através do protótipo. Monitorização clínica e laboratorial dos animais no pré, intra e pós-operatório, com exames de função renal na véspera e 48h após os procedimentos e 3 gasometrias arteriais seriadas no intra-operatório. Observação clínica foi mantida por 48h no pós- operatório. RESULTADOS: Os procedimentos de angioplastia com CO2 foram realizados com sucesso técnico de 100%, sem necessidade de complementação com injeção de contraste iodado no Grupo 2. Não foram identificadas falhas no protótipo em funcionamento. Não foram identificadas alterações clínicas ou radiológicas sugestivas de contaminação por ar ambiente do sistema de CO2 e nem alterações laboratoriais nos animais. As imagens angiográficas obtidas no Grupo 2 foram consideradas, numa avaliação subjetiva, relativamente inferiores às imagens obtidas no Grupo 1. DISCUSSÃO: A qualidade inferior de imagem no Grupo 2 pode ser atribuída ao equipamento de fluoroscopia utilizado, com software desatualizado em relação aos equipamentos atuais, que incluem pré-configurações para angiografia com CO2; no entanto, ainda assim todos os procedimentos propostos no Grupo 2 foram realizados com sucesso técnico, o que nos leva a classificar as imagens deste grupo 2 como satisfatórias. O manuseio do aparelho mostrou-se ágil e eficiente, com a programação dos parâmetros sendo realizada com facilidade através do visor \"touch screen\", comparativamente superior ao método artesanal de injeção de CO2 com seringas em selo d\'água. CONCLUSÕES: O protótipo do aparelho injetor intravascular de CO2 funcionou de forma adequada durante os testes e as imagens obtidas permitiram a compleição com sucesso dos procedimentos. Portanto, os resultados positivos obtidos sugerem que o equipamento é tecnicamente viável / INTRODUCTION: During endovascular procedures, several risks related to iodinated contrast media are taken, such as Contrast Induced Nephropathy, since these are fundamental to obtain radiological vascular images under fluoroscopy. Intravascular medical grade CO2 injection is a widely accepted and relatively safer alternative to iodinated contrast, but its handling and manual delivery system could as well bring risks to patients, such as room air injection. To address these problems, we developed a prototype for a micro processed intravascular medicinal CO2 injector, dedicated to help obtain angiographic images. OBJECTIVES: To perform the in vivo Early Feasibility Clinical Studies of the prototype. METHODS: Perform a left renal artery angioplasty of 10 pigs, divided in 2 groups: Group 1 (n=5) injection of iodinated contrast and Group 2 (n=5) injection of CO2 with the prototype. Clinical and laboratorial data were measured pre, peri and post-operatively, by pre-operative and 48h post- operative creatinine tests and 3 peri-operative serial arterial blood gas analysis. Animais were kept under clinical observation for 48h after procedures. RESUL TS: Angioplasty procedures had 100% technical success in both groups, without the need of extra imaging with iodinated contrast in Group 2. There were no technical failures with the prototype. There were no identifiable clinical or radiological signs of room air intravascular injections. Ali laboratorial measurements were under normal value ranges. Angiography images obtained in Group 2 were subjectively considered inferior to images from Group 1. DISCUSSION: The inferior image quality in Group 2 could be attributed to the employed fluoroscopy equipment, since its software is not up to date to current equipment, which includes a dedicated CO2 angiography preset. Nevertheless, ali procedures in Group 2 were successful, and images in this group were therefore considered satisfactory. Handling of the prototype proved to be user friendly, since ali injection parameters are performed through a touch screen panel, much superior from previous authors experience with manual saline submerged syringe filling before intravascular injection. CONCLUSIONS: The intravascular CO2 injector prototype worked properly during the tests and the obtained images allowed successful procedures without unexpected complications, in consonance with previous positive in vitro results. Therefore, the study results suggest the positive early technical feasibility of the device