Ulricehamn

Researchers are evaluating how changing the way patients with a sore throat are assessed might reduce unnecessary antibiotic use. This study compares whether medical practitioners, nurses, or pharmacists are the best initial assessors for patients with sore throat symptoms. It also investigates the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in these patients, reflecting changes in COVID-19s impact over time and its transition from pandemic to endemic. The study involves three groups where patients with acute sore throat are first assessed either by a physician, a nurse, or a pharmacist. Each assessor follows the current Swedish guideline, which recommends no antibiotics or testing for patients with fewer Centor criteria and testing plus antibiotics consideration only if Group A Streptococcus GAS is present for those with more Centor criteria. The pharmacist assessment is not standard practice in Sweden but is included as an experimental approach. Participants will be evaluated immediately after their consultation for guideline adherence, illness severity, patient type, and presence of SARS-CoV-2. The study monitors these outcomes to understand the best patient flow for sore throat management and the role of COVID-19 in these cases. The total participation duration aligns with the consultation and immediate post-consultation assessment, with no extended long-term follow-up mentioned.

Researchers are evaluating a new camera-based system called RIA-VS for measuring vital signs without physical contact. This study aims to reduce the risk of infection transfer that can occur with traditional contact-based devices while accurately capturing important signs like pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature. The project includes a focus on device validity and reliability across different patient groups, including those with various skin types. The study includes three parts one assessing the devices accuracy in measuring body temperature, another evaluating all vital signs except body temperature, and a third examining differences in device performance among people with different skin tones. Participants will have their vital signs measured both with conventional methods and the new camera-based device, called RIA-VS. Measurements are taken with about a 5-minute delay between methods to compare results. Participants aged 18 years and older attending primary or secondary healthcare will be involved. They will provide informed consent and have vital signs measured using both standard techniques and the RIA-VS device. The study will measure agreement between conventional methods and the new device, test-retest reliability, and the influence of skin type on measurement accuracy. The safety and timing impact on patient care are also monitored, with study procedures designed not to delay treatment by more than 15-20 minutes.