Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

True scale of anti-psychotic usage in dementia may be under-estimated

The scale of the challenge to reduce the use of anti-psychotic drugs by people with dementia may be under-estimated, according to researchers from Aston University and the University of East Anglia, working with NHS Kent and Medway. There is a key public health challenge to reduce the prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs to people with dementia as they are thought to be associated with up to 1,800 deaths a year.

19 Oct 2012

Survey: Nearly 38% of lesbians less likely to have routine cervical cancer screening

Nearly 38 percent of lesbians polled in a national survey were not routinely screened for cervical cancer, putting them at risk of developing a highly preventable cancer, according to a University of Maryland School of Medicine study being presented at the 11th Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research.

19 Oct 2012

Quality of care drops if doctors dictate

Physicians who predominantly dictate patients’ medical notes have worse quality of care than their peers who use structured electronic health record documentation, show study findings.

19 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 19, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about how Medicare and women's health issues are playing in a number of House and Senate races.

19 Oct 2012

Collaborative care improves depression and anxiety outcomes

Collaborative care, a model that involves multiple clinicians working with a patient, significantly improves depression and anxiety outcomes compared to standard primary care treatment for up to two years, finds a new review by The Cochrane Library.

19 Oct 2012

Electronic health record use linked to higher quality care

The use of electronic health records is linked to significantly higher quality care, according to a new study- by Lisa Kern and her team, from the Health Information Technology Evaluation Collaborative in the US. Their work appears online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine-, published by Springer.

19 Oct 2012

Kaiser Permanente creates new electronic Exercise Vital Sign initiative

Kaiser Permanente has created a new electronic Exercise Vital Sign initiative to systematically record patients' physical activity in their electronic health records.

19 Oct 2012

Fathers' parenting behavior influences sexual behavior of their adolescent children

A new study by New York University professor Vincent Guilamo-Ramos and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that fathers' parenting behavior influences the sexual behavior of their adolescent children.

17 Oct 2012

Type 2 diabetes screening: an interview with Dr Simon Griffin, MRC Epidemiology Unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body does not make sufficient insulin or the insulin it makes doesn’t work sufficiently well to maintain a normal level of blood glucose and so the blood glucose rises.

12 Oct 2012

One rule for one and one for another with diabetes

A joint consensus statement from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association encourages a shift in attitude over glycemic management in Type 2 diabetes.

12 Oct 2012

Access to doctors’ notes ‘gives patients more control’

Giving patients access to their primary care doctors’ notes makes them feel more in control of their care and more likely to adhere to medication, suggests a US study.

12 Oct 2012

$IOF report: 80% of patients with fracture are not screened for osteoporosis or risk of future falls$

IOF report: 80% of patients with fracture are not screened for osteoporosis or risk of future falls

Today, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) released a new report, revealing approximately 80 percent of patients treated in clinics or hospitals following a fracture are not screened for osteoporosis or risk of future falls. Left untreated, these patients are at high risk of suffering secondary fractures and facing a future of pain, disfigurement, long-term disability and even early death.

12 Oct 2012

Top-line results from Pfizer’s ALO-02 Phase 3 study on chronic non-cancer pain

Pfizer Inc. announced top-line results today from a Phase 3 open-label long-term safety study of investigational agent ALO-02 (oxycodone hydrochloride and naltrexone hydrochloride extended-release capsules) in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic, non-cancer pain.

12 Oct 2012

LSUHSC receives HRSA grant to help students pursue practice primary care nursing degrees

The School of Nursing at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans has been awarded a $700,000 grant over two years by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services to help students pursuing advanced practice primary care nursing degrees meet educational expenses.

11 Oct 2012

Enrollment complete in Euthymics’ amitifadine phase 2b/3a trial for major depressive disorder

Euthymics Bioscience, Inc. today announced completion of enrollment in the advanced clinical study of its lead product candidate amitifadine (formerly called EB-1010), a novel serotonin-preferring triple reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

11 Oct 2012

Combined medical–dental visits for infants could reduce Medicaid payouts

An office-based preventive oral health program has resulted in low monthly dental treatment rates for its infant-age Medicaid beneficiary participants, and reduced the likelihood of their hospitalization for dental matters, show US study results.

8 Oct 2012

WSU professor receives NSF grant for patient-centered medical home project

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model is an emerging team-based approach for primary health care. PCMH is aimed at improving timely access to care, providing continuity of care by a health care team and lowering health care costs. PCMH aims to alleviate future health problems through tailored health care that focuses on patient wellness and prevention.

8 Oct 2012

91 charged with $430 million Medicare billing fraud

The nationwide sweep involved arrests of doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals.

6 Oct 2012

MU public health expert identifies factors that help recognize teens at risk of self injury and suicide

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, a University of Missouri public health expert has identified factors that will help parents, medical professionals and educators recognize teens at risk for self injury and suicide.

5 Oct 2012

Five ACS members receive 2012 Surgical Humanitarian and Volunteerism Awards

Earlier this evening, five members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were named recipients of the 2012 Surgical Humanitarian and Volunteerism Award of the College and Pfizer in recognition for their selfless efforts as volunteer surgeons who provide care to medically underserved patients, domestically and abroad.

5 Oct 2012