Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

State roundup: Mass. doctors not keen on new payment methods

A new survey from the Massachusetts Medical Society reveals interesting divisions among doctors over plans to hold down health care spending -- and perhaps some words of warning for lawmakers. More than half -- 58 percent -- of the 1,100 doctors who responded to the society's survey this year said they would not voluntarily agree to treat patients under so-called global payments.

30 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 30, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about how new and old health policy positions are playing on the campaign trail.

30 Sep 2011

Hospital readmission rates reflect problem in addressing hospital failures

If you're a Medicare patient admitted to the hospital, the odds are about one in six that you'll end up back in the hospital within a month. And there was very little progress made in reducing that rate between 2004-09.

30 Sep 2011

Initiative pays primary-care docs for coordinating Medicare patients' care

The Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday a new initiative created by the health law that will ask physicians to focus on patients with chronic conditions. The program will be tested in five to seven markets across the country.

30 Sep 2011

CVS Caremark, Dovetail Health partner to prevent avoidable hospital readmissions

Industry research finds that one in five seniors are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, representing a prevalent and costly issue for health plan sponsors. Moreover, it is estimated that nearly 70 percent of adverse health events that take place after hospital discharge are related to medication management issues.

29 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 29, 2011

In today's headlines, reports that a Supreme Court ruling on the 2010 health law is now likely before the 2012 presidential election.

29 Sep 2011

National Partnership for Women & Families, ACP commend Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative

The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the National Partnership for Women & Families joined today to commend the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the announcement of the new Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative.

29 Sep 2011

Study links pain severity with depression

A new study in The Journal of Pain, published by the American Pain Society, www.ampainsoc.org, shows that changes in pain severity can predict subsequent depression severity and, likewise, a worsening change in depression is an equally strong predictor of subsequent pain severity.

29 Sep 2011

Capsules: N.C. insurer invests $15M in docs' health IT; HHS offers new push for coordinated care

Now on Capsules, Christian Torres writes about a new federal coordinated care initiative: If the Department of Health and Human Services has its way, hundreds of physician practices will follow the money and take up a coordinated model of health care.

29 Sep 2011

Saw Palmetto ineffective in patients with enlarged prostate: Study

A new study showed that much cited saw-palmetto supplements for the middle aged to cope with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate might not do much at all.

28 Sep 2011

Survey: Many physicians say patients in their own practices receive too much care

About half, though, said they were giving their patients "the right amount of care." In other news, a study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, according to Medscape, concluded that more frequent office visits by patients leads to faster diabetes control.

28 Sep 2011

Healthcare becoming an overdrive model feel half of the primary physicians

In a new poll of primary care physicians, nearly half of them said their patients received too much medical care and more than a quarter said they were practicing more aggressively than they'd like to. This could mean ordering more tests, prescribing more drugs or diagnosing people with diseases, although they would never have experienced any symptoms. On the other hand, just six percent of doctors believed their patients were getting too little care.

27 Sep 2011

Stony Brook University opens new center to treat valvular heart disease

Stony Brook University Medical Center has opened a new Valve Center that offers comprehensive treatment of valvular heart disease.

27 Sep 2011

SAMHSA announces new grants to support expansion of health information technology

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is announcing up to $13.2 million in new grants to support the expansion of health information technology (HIT) in health care settings that serve people with mental and substance use disorders.

26 Sep 2011

VUMC announces partnership with NorthCrest, Maury Regional and Williamson Medical Center

Leaders of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Maury Regional Medical Center, Northcrest Medical Center and Williamson Medical Center today announced affiliation agreements establishing a partnership between these medical centers to work collaboratively to create new jointly operated programs and services in the counties where these hospitals reside.

26 Sep 2011

Self-reported mental health disability more prevalent among U.S. adults

The prevalence of self-reported mental health disabilities increased in the U.S. among non-elderly adults during the last decade, according to a study by Ramin Mojtabai, MD, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

26 Sep 2011

Britain’s health workers urged to get flu shots to protect patients

Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) is urging its staff to take their flu shots amid fresh warnings that low vaccination rates among health professionals could lead to vulnerable patients getting infected and dying. The NHS's employers, health trade unions and the Department of Health have launched a campaign to tackle low immunization rates among frontline staff such as doctors and nurses.

26 Sep 2011

Roundup: Texas House Dems ask CMS to reject Medicaid waiver request; Jobs lost as Ariz. mental health Medicaid cuts kick in

The nine House Democrats from Texas want the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reject their state's request that Medicaid beneficiaries get their prescription drugs through managed care plans.

23 Sep 2011

Poll finds health industry 'not adequately prepared' to protect patients' digital records

Reuters reports on a new poll of health executives that indicates that the industry is not adequately prepared to protect patients' digital health records. Still, according to the Boston Globe, Dr. David Blumenthal, offered a positive view of medical technology in a Wednesday night speech, saying that electronic medical records made him a better doctor.

23 Sep 2011

Arizona's mental health budget cuts concern experts

Short-term savings could have long-term consequences for patients and the community, mental health experts tell The Arizona Republic. Meanwhile, a county in Iowa gets state aid to help people on a waiting list for mental health and disability care.

23 Sep 2011

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

State roundup: Mass. doctors not keen on new payment methods

First Edition: September 30, 2011

Hospital readmission rates reflect problem in addressing hospital failures

Initiative pays primary-care docs for coordinating Medicare patients' care

CVS Caremark, Dovetail Health partner to prevent avoidable hospital readmissions

First Edition: September 29, 2011

National Partnership for Women & Families, ACP commend Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative

Study links pain severity with depression

Capsules: N.C. insurer invests $15M in docs' health IT; HHS offers new push for coordinated care

Saw Palmetto ineffective in patients with enlarged prostate: Study

Survey: Many physicians say patients in their own practices receive too much care

Healthcare becoming an overdrive model feel half of the primary physicians

Stony Brook University opens new center to treat valvular heart disease

SAMHSA announces new grants to support expansion of health information technology

VUMC announces partnership with NorthCrest, Maury Regional and Williamson Medical Center

Self-reported mental health disability more prevalent among U.S. adults

Britain’s health workers urged to get flu shots to protect patients

Roundup: Texas House Dems ask CMS to reject Medicaid waiver request; Jobs lost as Ariz. mental health Medicaid cuts kick in

Poll finds health industry 'not adequately prepared' to protect patients' digital records

Arizona's mental health budget cuts concern experts

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

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

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

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

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

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