Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Pharmacist-led interventions can help reduce medication errors in primary care

Medication errors are common in primary care but the number of mistakes could be reduced significantly if GPs introduced an in-house pharmacist-led intervention scheme.

21 Feb 2012

Autism may be evident in an infant’s brain much earlier than thought: Study

Researchers have found that autism shows tell tale signs in babies as young as 6 months old — half a year or more before parents typically begin to notice symptoms of the condition. The results shed light on the fundamental differences in the brains of autistic children and could help lead to earlier detection and treatment, says co-author Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer at Autism Speaks, which helped fund the study in today's American Journal of Psychiatry.

20 Feb 2012

CAI improves asthma outcomes and saves $1.46 for every dollar spent

Nearly 1 in 10 children have asthma, according to government statistics, and in low-income parts of Boston, nearly 16 percent of children are affected. A program called the Community Asthma Initiative (CAI), developed and implemented in 2005 by clinicians at Children's Hospital Boston, demonstrates the potential to dramatically reduce hospitalization and emergency department visits for asthma -- improving patient outcomes and saving $1.46 per dollar spent through reduced hospital utilization.

20 Feb 2012

BCBSF Foundation announces winners of 2012 Sapphire Award

Today, during the Sapphire Award Presentation, eight honorees were recognized for positively impacting the health of their fellow Floridians. The Sapphire Award is presented annually by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida.

18 Feb 2012

Congress to vote on 10-month 'doc fix,' payroll tax deal

News outlets report that the legislation would include delaying the cut in Medicare payments to physicians.

17 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Contraception conscience vs. political objections; Is the mandate the 'non-tax' tax?

The president's new birth control plan would insure coverage of women's birth control without copayments or deductibles. Sounds fair, especially given that men's anti-impotence Viagra treatments have been covered by insurance plans for years.

17 Feb 2012

Lab-based treatment reminders may not be effective for CKD patients

Laboratory-based treatment reminders meant to improve physicians' prescribing habits for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may not be effective, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

17 Feb 2012

NCQA tool doesn't adequately evaluate quality of diabetes care at health centers

On the health front, the poor often have at least two things going against them: a lack of insurance and chronic illnesses, of which diabetes is among the most common.

16 Feb 2012

Amoxicillin not effective for patients with acute rhinosinusitis

Treatment with the antibiotic amoxicillin for patients with acute uncomplicated rhinosinusitis (inflammation of the nasal cavity and sinuses) did not result in a significant difference in symptoms compared to patients who received placebo, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat this condition even though there is limited evidence supporting their effectiveness.

15 Feb 2012

States' experiences with high-risk pools vary

One of the early provisions of the health law set up temporary insurance pools for people with medical conditions who couldn't buy insurance. Politico looks at what the varied state experiences in that program suggest about other aspects of the health overhaul.

15 Feb 2012

New clinical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of DVT

A researcher at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City is part of a select panel of international experts to help develop new evidence-based clinical guidelines used by physicians worldwide for the diagnosis and treatment of blood-clotting disorders, one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the United States.

15 Feb 2012

Antibiotic prescriptions do not reduce sinus symptoms

Antibiotics that doctors typically prescribe for sinus infections do not reduce symptoms any better than an inactive placebo, according to investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

15 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 14, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations include news on congressional package to payroll taxes and stop a Medicare payment cut and analysis of President Barack Obama's budget.

14 Feb 2012

Shortage of primary care doctors raises concerns

As the administration moves toward implementation of the health law, officials are seeking to bolster the number of primary care doctors. Also, hospitals are concerned about a possible measurement that would grade their efforts on patient safety.

14 Feb 2012

Obama's budget demonstrates his strong commitment to end HIV

"The budget President Obama outlined today yet again demonstrates his strong commitment to ending HIV by increasing funding for prevention and lifesaving care and treatment for those who cannot afford it in the United States," commented Carl Schmid, Deputy Executive Director of The AIDS Institute.

13 Feb 2012

Intervention programs can help teen girls achieve long-term success in managing weight

Teenage girls gained less weight, improved their body image, ate less fast food, and had more family meals after participating in a 6- month program that involved weekly peer meetings, consultations with primary care providers and separate meetings for parents. Those results from a study published online today in the journal Pediatrics.

13 Feb 2012

Evaluation in addition to screenings increases diagnosis rate of cognitive impairment

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals that brief cognitive screenings combined with offering further evaluation increased new diagnoses of cognitive impairment in older veterans two to three fold.

13 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 13, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations preview President Barack Obama's budget, which will be released today, and examine the lingering controversy over mandates on contraceptive coverage.

13 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Contraception as Obama's 'gospel'; The right balance? Freedom at risk?; Examining Medicaid mandate

These guidelines, which increase access to contraceptive services for women while upholding the religious liberty of churches, mosques and synagogues, strike the proper balance between respecting the religious beliefs of all Americans and protecting the health of American women and families. They will reduce health costs, end long-standing gender discrimination in prescription drug coverage and further enable women to lead healthier lives.

13 Feb 2012

VCU program reduces cost and utilization of ED among uninsured population

The cost of caring for the uninsured population who will gain coverage through the Affordable Care Act of 2014 can be reduced by almost half once the act is implemented, according to a new study from Virginia Commonwealth University researchers.

10 Feb 2012