Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Mammals have the power to regenerate

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that hair follicles in adult mice regenerate by re-awakening genes once active only in developing embryos.

18 May 2007

Surprising results found in use of Emergency Departments

There is some belief that Emergency Departments are being used for non-emergency medical care.

17 May 2007

U.S. health care system ranks last compared with five other nations on measures of quality, access, efficiency

The U.S. health care system ranks last compared with five other nations on measures of quality, access, efficiency, equity, and outcomes, in the third edition of a Commonwealth Fund report analyzing international health policy surveys.

16 May 2007

Study reveals need for engaging primary care practices as partners in developing mental health services for older patients

Older patients with major depression whose primary care physicians team with depression care managers are 45% less likely to die within a 5-year time period than older adults with major depression who receive their care in primary care practices where there are no depression care managers.

16 May 2007

New educational tool for women who are thinking about breastfeeding

A new website featuring personal experiences of breastfeeding has gone 'live' in time for National Breastfeeding Awareness Week (May 13 - 19).

16 May 2007

ACP challenges Congress to make 'fundamental changes' in Medicare payment policies

"Congress has an historic opportunity to join with the American College of Physicians (ACP), other physician organizations and employers to redesign Medicare payment policies to provide incentives for patient-centered care," ACP told the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health in a written statement.

11 May 2007

NHS must do more to keep male and female patients separate

The NHS must do more to keep male and female patients separate is the message from a report out by England's chief nursing officer, Professor Christine Beasley, setting out a clear agenda to tackle mixed sex wards.

10 May 2007

Promoting health in teens and kids

Early results of a program aimed at combating childhood obesity show promise and the program is being well received by the children and their families.

9 May 2007

Terminally-ill patients often denied chance to die at home

Many terminally-ill patients cannot die at home because of a lack of services and training in palliative care, say researchers from the University of Warwick.

8 May 2007

Study looks at interest level of healthy, young adults in receiving genetic testing for common conditions

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), parts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have teamed with Group Health Cooperative in Seattle and Henry Ford Health System in Detroit to launch a study to investigate the interest level of healthy, young adults in receiving genetic testing for eight common conditions.

8 May 2007

Pros and cons of tonsillectomy

Adults with recurrent sore throats may benefit from having a tonsillectomy in the short term, but the overall longer term benefit is still unclear, and any benefits have to be balanced against the side effects of the operation, according to this week's BMJ.

4 May 2007

Treating pelvic and back pain in pregnancy

Stretching exercises, special pillows and acupuncture could help relieve back and pelvic pain that often occur during pregnancy, according to an updated review.

4 May 2007

Child infections are an increasing concern in affluent countries

Dr Deborah Lehmann, who leads infectious diseases research at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, said the findings show that infection is an increasing concern in affluent countries.

4 May 2007

Ohioans spend $62.2 billion on non-institutional health care each year

...while the Ohio economy loses between $2.1 and $5.8 billion due to lost productivity and other indirect costs of having 1.3 million Ohio residents without health insurance, according to research released today by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO).

2 May 2007