Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

What does the health law's future hold for workers, uninsured people, employers and others?

News outlets examine a variety of issues related to the health law's implementation, ranging from how it might impact workers in the year ahead, to those who will not gain any benefit from the law as well as the importance of location and other news about how the overhaul will affect the health care marketplace.

10 Sep 2013

Holes found in primary care insomnia management

Better education and training for management of sleep problems is needed, including a clear primary care pathway to treatment, suggests the experience of patients and clinicians in the UK.

9 Sep 2013

Dementia catheterization rate a ‘cause for concern’

Researchers from the UK have found that patients with dementia presenting in primary care with urinary incontinence are significantly more likely to receive pharmacologic treatment or be catheterized than other patients.

9 Sep 2013

Research roundup: The financial burden of hospital acquired infections

Health care–associated infections (HAIs) account for a large proportion of the harms caused by health care and are associated with high costs. ... [Using a simulation, the researchers found that the] total annual costs for the 5 major infections were $9.8 billion (95% CI, $8.3-$11.5 billion), with surgical site infections contributing the most to overall costs (33.7% of the total), followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (31.6%), central line–associated bloodstream infections (18.9%), C difficile infections (15.4%), and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (<1%). ... recent analyses indicate that at least 50% are preventable. ...

7 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 6, 2013

Today's headlines include a report on the White House's proposal about how to gather information that would allow the government to enforce the employer mandate, which requires companies with 50 or more workers to provide affordable health insurance to their full-time employees.

6 Sep 2013

State highlights: Texas abortion clinics prepare to shutter; wide disparity in hospital prices; Calif. bill to expand abortion providers passes

A selection of health policy news from Texas, California, North Carolina, Missouri, Oregon and Colorado.

6 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 5, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about former President Bill Clinton -- dubbed the "explainer in chief" -- drumming up support for the health law and scolding Republicans for their efforts to repeal it.

5 Sep 2013

State highlights: Calif. bill to expand nurse role in health care dies; Ohio senior housing developer turns eye to primary care; examining Miss. trauma care costs

A selection of health policy stories from California, Ohio, Mississippi and Washington. An effort to ease a shortage of primary-care doctors in some California communities by letting nurse practitioners operate more independently has flat-lined in the Legislature after a fierce lobbying battle. A bill by Sen.

4 Sep 2013

Viewpoints: Shortages of drugs persist; number of Medicare doctors is growing; Obamacare undermines health savings accounts

As was the case during the last debt-ceiling debacle, in 2011, playing politics with the nation's creditworthiness is irresponsible and unnecessary. Leave aside the ObamaCare obsession, because Republicans have zero chance of persuading the president to kill one of his defining achievements.

4 Sep 2013

N.C. transitional care program shows promise in reducing hospital readmissions

A statewide transitional care program in North Carolina may hold hope for reducing hospital readmissions in the U.S., a new study finds. In the meantime, readmissions' financial stakes become clear for one Minnesota hospital.

4 Sep 2013

More young people show risk factors for common type of strokes

Fifteen percent of the most common type of strokes occur in adolescents and young adults, and more young people are showing risk factors for such strokes, according to a report in the journal Neurology.

4 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 3, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about interest in and action surrounding state health exchange call centers.

3 Sep 2013

New joint program could improve patient care, physician and staff morale

The common refrain about health care is that it's a broken system. A new joint program between the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, demonstrates a way to mend the system with a new patient-centered program that is getting raves from patients, as well as the residents and nurses who provide their care. Results from the program are highlighted in a study being released in September.

3 Sep 2013

5LINX offers easy access to affordable healthcare from anywhere

5LINX enhancedcareMD offers easy access to affordable healthcare from anywhere, all day, every day for everyone in your household. This comprehensive, supplemental health care solution provides members with prompt access to registered nurses and medical doctors over the phone.

31 Aug 2013

State highlights: Texas bans youth from tanning salons; Texas, Fla., have most uninsured; Medicare change threatens rural hospital funding in S.D.

Soon, Texas will join a number of states that bar minors from tanning indoors, which experts say greatly increases the risk of melanoma in those under 18. Senate Bill 329, written by State Senators Joan Huffman, Republican of Southside Place, and Sylvia R. Garcia, Democrat of Houston, automatically became law in June without the governor's signature and will take effect on Sunday (Serrano, 8/29).

31 Aug 2013

NAMS announces recipients of Society's 2013 awards for clinical, research and humanitarian contributions

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Society's 2013 awards. The awards are given in recognition of exceptional contributions to menopause research, practice, and education; community service; and media.

29 Aug 2013

New models for care coordination and accountability cut costs, study finds

The study, published in Tuesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, examined how some approaches that lower spending and improve quality could spill over and benefit other patients.

29 Aug 2013

First Edition: August 28, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the vote by Michigan lawmakers to expand Medicaid.

28 Aug 2013

California residents to reap benefits of CHI and xG partnership

Residents of California's Central Coast will soon reap the benefits of a newly formed healthcare partnership that aims to advance quality while driving down costs thanks to an innovative healthcare delivery model known as the patient-centered medical home.

27 Aug 2013

USPSTF recommends clinicians provide interventions to prevent tobacco use in children

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that primary care clinicians provide interventions, including education or brief counseling, to prevent initiation of tobacco use in school-aged children and adolescents.

26 Aug 2013