Given the undeniable clinical and prognostic value, the function of the left atrium (LA) plays a leading role in the contemporary evaluation of cardiac diseases and is considered an essential morphological substrate for the development of cardiovascular diseases. It is sensitive to nervous, endocrine, and immunological stimuli. New evidence from the literature highlights the importance of fibrotic, electrical, and autonomic remodeling of the LA, introducing the concept of atrial cardiomyopathy, which is closely associated with atrial fibrillation and stroke. In the past, the diameter of the LA was the most important parameter for assessing its characteristics, but new information about the various roles of the LA has created the need for parameters that more precisely or thoroughly evaluate LA function. The function of the LA is complex, consisting of three phases: the reservoir phase (ventricular systole), the conduit phase (early diastole), and the pump phase (late diastole). The introduction of myocardial deformation analysis, or strain of the LA via speckle tracking, has achieved significant progress in detecting even subtle functional abnormalities before an increase in LA size. This method improves the diagnostic capabilities of standard echocardiographic examinations, and its diagnostic and prognostic value is sometimes comparable to more advanced and less accessible techniques such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography.

: Introduction Th e concept of the quality of healthcare services is constantly evolving and transforming depending on the interest in it and the level of involvement of medical sta ff and patients. Aim To assess patient satisfaction with the quality of health services in private practice condition. Methods 105 (n=105) subjects participated in the study, and it was conducted by an anonymous survey of the clinic which o ff ers medical services, tests, and diagnostic procedures in the fi elds of gynecology, internal medicine, surgery, radiology, urology, and neurology. Th e research was conducted among patients who used the health services of a private practice institution from January to September 2022. Th e patient questionnaire consisted of 14 questions. Five questions related to identifying the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents, and 9 questions were research questions of the Lickert type. For this purpose, the standardized Laschinger HCAHPS ( Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems ) questionnaire on patient satisfaction with the quality of healthcare services was used. Di ff erences in numerical variables were tested by Student’s t-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA). All P values are two-sided (p<0.05). Th e statistical program MedCalc Statistical Software version 18.2.1 was used for statistical analysis. Results Th e research was conducted on 105 patients, 28% of whom were male and 72% female. Most patients were in the age group of 61 to 70 years (30%). Patients are satis fi ed with the quality of healthcare services. Th e highest average score for reception and waiting time (4.9), the lowest score for being informed about upcoming interventions and treatments and professional approach (4.68). Conclusion Patients show a high degree of satisfaction with the general services provided.

The promptness of providing services to patients directly affects the success of healthcare organizations. In this regard, the implementation of contemporary concepts in healthcare organizations is synonymous with success. Subject of research: The subject being researched in this paper is the possibility of applying the SIPOC method to the clinical process in obstetrics. A more precise application of the abovementioned method would mean a prompter implementation of activities within the clinical process (pregestational counseling, antenatal care of expectant mothers, deliveries, supervision of women during puerperium). Through the activities of the abovementioned clinical process, an effort is made to meet the health needs of expectant and new mothers. The application of the SIPOC method is not sufficiently present in clinical processes, especially the clinical process in obstetrics, and therefore this paper opens a new research area. Aim: The aim of this paper is to indicate the relevance of the SIPOC method as one of the tools within the Lean methodology, which can be used to improve the clinical process in obstetrics. Materials and methods: The following materials and methods were applied in this study: the method of analysis, the inductive - deductive method, the method of synthesis, the method of description, the method of proof. Case analysis was also used in the application of the SIPOC matrix at a gynecology and obstetrics outpatient clinic. Results: The results of the research showed that there was a positive impact on improving the efficiency of the provision of health services, through the implementation of modern methods. The SIPOC method affected the improvement of the efficiency of the clinical process in obstetrics. The review of the literature and the obtained results revealed that there is no formalized concept with instructions on the implementation of clinical process improvement methods.

Abstract An extensive review of the literature on the diagnostic and clinical accuracy of Kurjak’s antenatal neurodevelopmental test (KANET) and the summarized results of the multi-center study involving 10 centers revealed that four-dimensional ultrasonography (4D US) has become a powerful tool and KANET a valuable test that empowers the clinicians worldwide to evaluate the fetal behavior in a systematic way and contribute to the detection of fetuses that might be at high risk for neurological impairments and in particular cerebral palsy (CP). After 10 years of clinical use, many published papers and multi-center studies, hundreds of trained physicians and numerous tests performed all over the world, KANET has proven its value and has been showing encouraging results so far. The aim of this paper is to show the results from the studies done so far and to reveal the clinical value of the KANET. We expect that data from the larger ongoing collaborative study, the short- and long-term postnatal follow-up will continue to improve our knowledge. Ultimately, we all strive to prevent the CP disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurological impairments and we are convinced that KANET might be helpful in the realization of this important aim.