Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

State highlights: Docs prescribe narcotics too often, CDC chief says; Fla. hospices get close scrutiny; Calif. Medi-Cal provider rate bump delayed

The nation's top public health official on Tuesday sharply criticized the widespread treatment of aches and pains with narcotics, saying that doctors are prescribing such drugs too soon, too often and for too long -- putting patients at risk of addiction and overdose. Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that doctors are relying on these powerful drugs to treat chronic pain when physical therapy, exercise and other remedies would be safer and in many cases more effective (Girion and Glover, 7/2).

4 Jul 2013

UnitedHealthcare to again review Tricare specialty care referrals

The Department of Defense will once again allow UnitedHealthcare to review and authorize every specialty care referral in Tricare. The insurer also notified California that it will no longer sell individual insurance in that state.

4 Jul 2013

Researchers develop program to reduce hospital readmissions by more than half

When a Medicare patient heads home from the hospital, the last thing they want is to be part of the revolving door of readmission that costs the healthcare industry and Medicare billions of dollars each year.

4 Jul 2013

Telemonitoring with pharmacist management improves and maintains BP control

An intervention that consisted of home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring with pharmacist management resulted in improvements in BP control and decreases in BP during 12 months, compared with usual care, and improvement in BP that was maintained for 6 months following the intervention, according to a study in the July 3 issue of JAMA.

3 Jul 2013

Wake Forest Baptist to extend innovation in geriatrics education with new GPS program

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center will maintain its position as a leader in geriatric medicine and medical training with continued grant funding from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

3 Jul 2013

Study says screening heart with natriuretic peptide may reduce risk of dysfunction, heart failure

Among patients at risk of heart failure, collaborative care based on screening for certain levels of brain-type natriuretic peptide reduced the combined rates of left ventricular systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure as well as emergency cardiovascular hospitalizations, according to a study in the July 3 issue of JAMA.

3 Jul 2013

Two-dimensional barcodes on vaccine improve safety of the U.S. immunization system, save millions

Using two-dimensional barcodes on vaccine product labels would enhance the safety of the U.S. immunization system and save more than $300 million by 2023, according to a study by researchers at RTI International and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

3 Jul 2013

New research paper explains how pregnancy provides a window to future health

Physicians with the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine released a paper today that provides significant insight into future health conditions that women are likely to experience, and that can be detected early based on information relating to the course of pregnancy.

2 Jul 2013

New UCLA-led study examines content of doctor-patient conversations about dietary supplements

Vitamins, minerals, herbs and other dietary supplements are widely available in supermarkets and drug stores across the nation without a prescription, so it's no surprise that nearly half of all Americans take them.

2 Jul 2013

Tel-Aviv research shows physicians delay diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Researchers from The Tel-Aviv Medical Center found delays in diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) averaging 2 years in 42 patients who eventually underwent surgery. This is an important finding, because previous studies have shown that early diagnosis and treatment of CSM lead to better outcomes.

2 Jul 2013

State highlights: Maine to permit Rx drugs from Canada; Ore. to levy hospital, nursing home assessment tax

For the first time in several years, a state has acted to allow its citizens to purchase prescription drugs by mail from other countries. The idea is to take advantage of those nations' lower prices, which can be half the cost of those at American pharmacies (Rovner, 6/27).

29 Jun 2013

D.C. officials plan $47M Medicaid payback after claims processor collapse

A collapse of the company that managed the District's Medicaid claims -- D.C. Chartered Health -- left health care providers without any way to be reimbursed for care they gave under the District's Medicaid program.

29 Jun 2013

'Sleep Mask' prototype: The world's first non-invasive treatment for sight loss

Rt Hon David Willetts MP has seen the 'Sleep Mask' prototype - the world's first non-invasive treatment for sight loss that will save the need for expensive hospital treatment - at Northumbria University's Northern Design Centre (NDC).

28 Jun 2013

Orlando Health's clinicians provide hospital-level care in patient's home

Instead of admitting patients to medical units at the hospital, clinicians at Orlando Regional Medical Center are providing health care to patients in the comfort of their homes. The new twist on modern medicine is being piloted in a project to provide hospital-level care in a patient's home through home visits, videoconferencing (virtual visit) and telemonitoring (remote vital signs monitoring).

28 Jun 2013

State legislature directs UC system to allocate $15M annually to UCR medical school

A budget compromise worked out and signed today by Gov. Jerry Brown means that UC Riverside's School of Medicine will receive full and continuous funding of $15 million per year - long-sought assistance that enables the school to flourish and greatly facilitates its ongoing accreditation.

28 Jun 2013

State highlights: Miss. lawmakers ready for special session on Medicaid; Paid sick time approved in NYC; Oregon cuts premium requests

Mississippi lawmakers return to the Capitol at 10 a.m. Thursday for a special session designed to keep Medicaid alive and funded. Much is at stake: Medicaid is a government health insurance program for the needy, and it covers about 644,000 of the state's nearly 3 million residents (6/27).

28 Jun 2013

Patients' medical follow-up after melanoma diagnosis should be lifelong, says study author

Recurrence of melanoma skin cancer 10 or more years after initial treatment is more common than previously thought, occurring in more than one in 20 patients. However, according to a new study, these patients tend to live longer after their cancer returns than patients whose melanoma recurs in the first three years.

28 Jun 2013

Poor, less educated patients are less likely to receive opioid pain medications in emergency rooms

Patients in moderate to severe pain in emergency rooms across the U.S. are less likely to receive opioid pain medications if they are black, Hispanic, poor, or have less education, compared to more affluent patients, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

27 Jun 2013

Nurse practitioners can play crucial role in treating chronic geriatric conditions, shows study

U.S. residents today are living longer than previous generations, thanks to improved public health and medical treatment. But they're also living longer with chronic geriatric health conditions like dementia, urinary incontinence, depression and debilitating falls, which often require complex medical care.

27 Jun 2013

Adults with disability have higher prevalence of several chronic illnesses

Adults with a disability are more likely to be obese or extremely obese than those without a disability according to a study led by researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health, which is part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

27 Jun 2013

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

State highlights: Docs prescribe narcotics too often, CDC chief says; Fla. hospices get close scrutiny; Calif. Medi-Cal provider rate bump delayed

UnitedHealthcare to again review Tricare specialty care referrals

Researchers develop program to reduce hospital readmissions by more than half

Telemonitoring with pharmacist management improves and maintains BP control

Wake Forest Baptist to extend innovation in geriatrics education with new GPS program

Study says screening heart with natriuretic peptide may reduce risk of dysfunction, heart failure

Two-dimensional barcodes on vaccine improve safety of the U.S. immunization system, save millions

New research paper explains how pregnancy provides a window to future health

New UCLA-led study examines content of doctor-patient conversations about dietary supplements

Tel-Aviv research shows physicians delay diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy

State highlights: Maine to permit Rx drugs from Canada; Ore. to levy hospital, nursing home assessment tax

D.C. officials plan $47M Medicaid payback after claims processor collapse

'Sleep Mask' prototype: The world's first non-invasive treatment for sight loss

Orlando Health's clinicians provide hospital-level care in patient's home

State legislature directs UC system to allocate $15M annually to UCR medical school

State highlights: Miss. lawmakers ready for special session on Medicaid; Paid sick time approved in NYC; Oregon cuts premium requests

Patients' medical follow-up after melanoma diagnosis should be lifelong, says study author

Poor, less educated patients are less likely to receive opioid pain medications in emergency rooms

Nurse practitioners can play crucial role in treating chronic geriatric conditions, shows study

Adults with disability have higher prevalence of several chronic illnesses

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Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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