Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Primary care physicians rank GSK's sales force number one

According to SDI's 2010 Ranking Tables Study, office-based primary care physicians - general practitioners, family medicine physicians, and doctors of osteopathy - rank GlaxoSmithKline's sales force number one, a jump from third in 2009. Pfizer finished second and Merck placed third this year, down from first and second, respectively, in 2009.

30 Nov 2010

Nine out of ten of all primary care centers in Sweden prescribe physical activity

Prescribing physical activity for the purpose of preventing and treating various conditions can now become a reality for healthcare professionals all over the world.

30 Nov 2010

Highmark, Alliance for a Healthier Generation collaborate to expand childhood obesity benefits

Thirty-nine percent of the children living in Pennsylvania are overweight and are at greater risk of developing such chronic diseases as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease than the generation before them. To continue its efforts to address childhood obesity, Highmark Inc. has collaborated with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to expand its obesity benefits for children in 2011.

30 Nov 2010

NIAID scientists confirm antiviral activity of two lead compounds against HPV

Tamir Biotechnology, Inc. announced today that scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reported test results confirming two of our lead compounds showed excellent in vitro antiviral activity and no cellular toxicity at dose levels tested for Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

30 Nov 2010

Tricare may raise fees; VA Medical Center uses telemedicine to trim costs

"Of nearly 4.5 million military retirees and their families, about three-quarters are estimated to have access to health insurance through a civilian employer or group. But more than two million of them stay on Tricare," the military's lifetime health insurance program, The New York Times reports. Enrollment in Tricare, which costs less than what many private employers ask for in premiums, is expected to grow "as the costs of private health care continue to climb."

29 Nov 2010

Kansas hospitals report sharp increases in uncompensated care

News outlets report on a dramatic increase in uncompensated care at Kansas hospitals because of the economic downturn and a new study that finds poor families with high-deductible plans often put off needed care.

23 Nov 2010

HHS Secretary launches new application cycle for NHSC Loan Repayment Program

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the launch of the new application cycle for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program, during a visit to Total Health Care, a community health center in Baltimore.

23 Nov 2010

Ontario Cancer Plan third edition to address growing needs

The third edition of the Ontario Cancer Plan (OCP) ensures our cancer system serves the changing and growing needs of Ontarians. The Cancer Plan outlines priorities for cancer services, sets a course to transform cancer services from the patient perspective, and is driven by a commitment to quality across the cancer journey - from prevention to survivorship or palliative care - as the most effective way to manage cancer.

23 Nov 2010

Most patients taking anti-depressants give up treatment: Study

Most patients who take anti-depressants give up their treatment in less than six months, the minimum period recommended for treating severe depression and other derived pathologies. This is the conclusion of a new study carried out by Catalan researchers, which reveals that only 25% continue their treatment for more than 11 months.

23 Nov 2010

Mass. and Minn. officials struggle with controlling health costs, guaranteeing quality

News outlets report that Massachusetts' health reform hasn't adequately addressed the soaring cost of health care, according to the state's Attorney General.

21 Nov 2010

Physicians and consumers agree on quality of hospice and amount of service, reveals survey

Physicians say that hospice is great, but there's too little service and it's offered too late. That's one of the top findings of a new national survey conducted to compare attitudes and perceptions about hospice care among consumers and physicians. Consumers agree with physicians on the quality of hospice and the amount of service that should be provided. But when it comes to the right time to discuss hospice—it's an individual preference.

20 Nov 2010

Assessment by nurse practitioner satisfies patients with back problems: Study

Ninety-six per cent of patients with back problems were satisfied with the assessment carried out by a specially trained nurse practitioner, according to a study in the December issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

20 Nov 2010

Surveyed cardiologists, PCPs perceive Crestor comparable to Lipitor in ability to reduce mortality

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that in the treatment of dyslipidemia, surveyed cardiologists and primary care physicians (PCPs) now perceive AstraZeneca's Crestor's ability to reduce mortality comparable to Pfizer's Lipitor. This finding has changed from Decision Resources' 2009 analysis in which surveyed cardiologists viewed Lipitor as significantly better on this end point.

20 Nov 2010

New treatment model to incorporate systematic depression screening at primary care visits

A treatment model designed to accommodate the beliefs and concerns of Chinese immigrants appears to significantly improve the recognition and treatment of major depression in this typically underserved group

20 Nov 2010

HRSA awards $8 million for Community Health Center Cooperative Agreements

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the awarding of nearly $8 million for existing Community Health Center Cooperative Agreements.

20 Nov 2010

Survey examines Canadians' overall view of health care system

Today, the Health Council of Canada released survey results from the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey. The bulletin called, How Do Canadians Rate the Health Care System? examines Canadians' insights into the performance of the health care system.

20 Nov 2010

Early nephrology care associated with lower mortality and incidence of end stage renal disease

Earlier care from a nephrologist reduces the chance of kidney patients developing end-stage renal disease and lowers their risk of death during the first year of dialysis, according to a study by the University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology & Cost Center.

20 Nov 2010

IPC acquires hospitalist practice of HOWM

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has acquired the hospitalist practice of Hospitalists of West Michigan, PC headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The acquisition represents a further expansion in the Michigan market, where IPC already has a well-established presence. HOWM has an annualized volume of approximately 45,000 patient encounters.

20 Nov 2010

Containers to Clinics opens pilot health facility in Haiti

Containers to Clinics (C2C), a nonprofit initiative that seeks to build health care infrastructures in developing countries through networks of converted shipping container clinics, today announced the opening of its pilot health facility at Grace Children's Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The clinic's services will include health screenings, vaccinations, pre-and post-natal care, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, post-partum and newborn care, infectious disease testing and treatment, nutrition counseling and health education classes.

20 Nov 2010

Abnormal levels of circulating auto-antibodies found in blood of COPD patients

Moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be an auto-immunity problem, according to researchers in Spain, who studied the presence of auto-antibodies in patients with COPD and compared them to levels of control subjects. They found that a significant number of patients with COPD had significant levels of auto-antibodies circulating in their blood, about 5 to 10 times the level in controls.

20 Nov 2010