Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Myths, misconceptions about seasonal flu and flu vaccine

It's that time of year again. As days shorten, evenings become chilly and the trees start a showy display of color, it's time to roll up your sleeve and get your annual flu vaccine.

16 Oct 2014

Columbia University professor recommends vaccination for people travelling abroad

Planning to travel outside the U.S. this holiday season? Check with your primary care provider or travel clinic when you book your flight.

16 Oct 2014

Caregivers more aware of SUDEP than patients

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is concerning and many—even those with seizure disorders—may not be aware of this condition. New research published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), reports that 76% of caregivers are more likely to have heard of SUDEP compared with 65% of patients with epilepsy.

16 Oct 2014

Consultant Live unveils new online sleep disorders educational program for doctors, nurses

UBM Medica US announces that Consultant Live a leading online community for primary care clinicians, has unveiled a new online sleep disorders educational program to help doctors and nurses help their patients get a good night's rest.

14 Oct 2014

Women prescribed different medication than men to bring down blood pressure

Women who are treated for high blood pressure are not given the same medication as men, nor do they hit the treatment targets as often, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg.

14 Oct 2014

Viewpoints: Ebola myths; Sen. McCain's 'opportunistic alarmism'; Gov. Jindal on CDC's misspent resources

Hubris is the greatest danger in wealthy countries - a sort of smug assumption that advanced technologies and emergency-preparedness plans guarantee that Ebola and other germs will not spread. It was hubris that left Toronto's top hospitals battling SARS in 2003, long after the virus was conquered in poorer Vietnam. It was hubris that led the World Health Assembly in 2013 to cut the WHO's outbreak-response budget in favor of more programs to treat cancer and heart disease.

14 Oct 2014

Johns Hopkins' new HIV/AIDS degree program to draw plenty of interest from prospective students

Assistant Professor Jason Farley says one reason he's confident that the new HIV/AIDS degree program at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing will draw plenty of interest from prospective students is that so many of the current students and alumni he's met over the years arrive on campus with a strong interest in HIV.

14 Oct 2014

Findings suggest that more help needed for family doctors to spot signs of lung cancer

The findings suggest that family doctors may not be picking up the signs of lung cancer and investigating them as appropriately as they might, or promptly enough, say the researchers.

14 Oct 2014

Medicare Advantage plans marked by shortcomings

The New York Times reports that these problem areas include rejection of claims for medical services and limits on prescription drug coverage. News outlets also report on ACOs grades and Medicare Advantage rate shifts.

14 Oct 2014

Wireless Health 2014 international conference to highlight latest developments in mobile health

From the benefits of wearable devices for remote patient monitoring to opportunities for big-data applications to a changing regulatory environment, the Wireless Health 2014 international conference here Oct. 29 – 31 aims to disseminate the latest advances and promising prospective developments in mobile health.

13 Oct 2014

Researchers explore effect of email exchanges between patients and physicians

Email has become one of the most widespread forms of communication, with its streamlined interactions benefiting both businesses and individuals.

13 Oct 2014

HIV-infected users of stimulants derive benefits from antiretroviral therapy

New clinical research from UC San Francisco shows that 341 HIV-infected men who reported using stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine derived life-saving benefits from being on antiretroviral therapy that were comparable to those of HIV-infected men who do not use stimulants.

13 Oct 2014

Antimicrobial stewardship to ambulatory setting should include continued feedback to clinicians

The initial benefits of an outpatient antimicrobial stewardship intervention designed to reduce the rate of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions were lost after discontinuation of audit and feedback to clinicians, according to a study published in JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with the IDWeek 2014 meeting.

13 Oct 2014

Grand Challenges Canada announces 11 seed grants to improve mental health in developing countries

On the day the world is collectively raising awareness on mental health issues, Grand Challenges Canada, funded by the Government of Canada, announced new funding for 11 novel ideas to improve mental health in developing countries, one of the biggest unmet needs of our time. Seed grants of up to $270,000 are awarded to 11 innovators from Canada and low- and middle-income countries, totalling $2.9 million CAD.

10 Oct 2014

Online learning module for medical residents can improve care of substance use disorder patients

Online learning interventions and small group debriefings can improve medical residents' attitudes and communication skills toward patients with substance use disorders, and may result in improved care for these patients, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University College of Medicine published online in Academic Medicine.

9 Oct 2014

Viewpoints: Walmart's cuts in insurance grow from health law; online marketplace still lacks transparency

Wal-Mart gave lawmakers a concise lesson in economics Tuesday when it disclosed that it would no longer offer health insurance to yet more of its part-time employees. ... I'll just argue that what we're seeing is the entirely predictable result of the employer mandate in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act -- a mandate, by the way, that Wal-Mart lobbied for. The company was offering health benefits for most employees at the time, and may simply have been trying to force its competitors to do the same (Jon Healey, 10/7).

9 Oct 2014

In Mississippi, Medicaid expansion advocates continue to press their cause

Backers of expanding the low-income health insurance program say elected officials are turning their back on hundreds of thousands of poor Mississippi residents by refusing the federal funds that come with the expansion. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, insurers appear to be adding a wrinkle to Gov. Corbett's expansion plan. Also, election outcomes will play a big role in where such plans proceed.

9 Oct 2014

State highlights: States and drug prices; Ariz. limiting Sovaldi for patients; L.A. boosts uninsured care by $61 million

Because of its high cost, some state Medicaid programs and prison systems are refusing to provide Sovaldi to any but the sickest patients. Most recently, Oregon last month threatened to limit access to the drug unless it can get Sovaldi at a deeply discounted price. But Sovaldi is only the beginning. Expensive new treatments for certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions also have rattled Medicaid officials, patients and health care providers. What can states do to hold down drug costs? Drug pricing is a complicated and opaque process.

8 Oct 2014

Nurse-led intervention program fails to improve 30-day hospital readmission rates

Researchers at UC San Francisco have found that a nurse-led intervention program designed to reduce readmissions among ethnically and linguistically diverse older patients did not improve 30-day hospital readmission rates. Their findings suggest hospitals evaluate such programs before implementing or continuing.

8 Oct 2014

GeneSolve to license its health optimization system to highly qualified doctors

GeneSolve announced today that it will begin licensing its proprietary health optimization system to a network of highly qualified doctors nationwide.

7 Oct 2014

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Myths, misconceptions about seasonal flu and flu vaccine

Columbia University professor recommends vaccination for people travelling abroad

Caregivers more aware of SUDEP than patients

Consultant Live unveils new online sleep disorders educational program for doctors, nurses

Women prescribed different medication than men to bring down blood pressure

Viewpoints: Ebola myths; Sen. McCain's 'opportunistic alarmism'; Gov. Jindal on CDC's misspent resources

Johns Hopkins' new HIV/AIDS degree program to draw plenty of interest from prospective students

Findings suggest that more help needed for family doctors to spot signs of lung cancer

Medicare Advantage plans marked by shortcomings

Wireless Health 2014 international conference to highlight latest developments in mobile health

Researchers explore effect of email exchanges between patients and physicians

HIV-infected users of stimulants derive benefits from antiretroviral therapy

Antimicrobial stewardship to ambulatory setting should include continued feedback to clinicians

Grand Challenges Canada announces 11 seed grants to improve mental health in developing countries

Online learning module for medical residents can improve care of substance use disorder patients

Viewpoints: Walmart's cuts in insurance grow from health law; online marketplace still lacks transparency

In Mississippi, Medicaid expansion advocates continue to press their cause

State highlights: States and drug prices; Ariz. limiting Sovaldi for patients; L.A. boosts uninsured care by $61 million

Nurse-led intervention program fails to improve 30-day hospital readmission rates

GeneSolve to license its health optimization system to highly qualified doctors

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

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