Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Elsevier acquires Spanish e-clinical reference solution

Elsevier, the leading global publisher of scientific, technical, and medical information products and services, announced today the acquisition of Fisterra.com, an award winning, widely used e-clinical reference solution in Spain. Fisterra was launched in 2002 by two primary care doctors and a medical librarian in response to the need for an online short answer Spanish language reference solution to help primary care physicians.

9 May 2011

Period of observation can avoid unnecessary head CT scan use in children

Overall, roughly half of U.S. children taken to hospital emergency departments for a head injury receive a head CT scan, often to ease worried parents' concerns. Yet true traumatic brain injury is uncommon.

9 May 2011

UPMC signs affiliation agreement with Aetna to expand health plan access in Pittsburgh

Aetna and UPMC announced today that they have reached agreement on a contract that expands access to include all of UPMC's hospitals and affiliated physicians in Aetna's Western Pennsylvania network for the first time since 2001.

6 May 2011

Kaiser Permanente awards $7.7 million as 217 grants during first quarter, 2011

Kaiser Permanente, one of the country's largest not-for-profit health care organizations, announced today that it has funded 217 grants nationwide, totaling approximately $7.7 million in the first quarter of 2011.

6 May 2011

Researchers find increasing the number of family physicians reduces hospital re-admissions

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center have found that by adding one family physician per 1,000, or 100 per 100,000, could reduce hospital readmission costs by $579 million per year, or 83 percent of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) target. These findings currently appear on the website of the "Robert Graham Center," a primary care think tank.

5 May 2011

Asthma ‘pill-a-day’ shows similar effectiveness as inhalers: Study

A new study has shown that a ‘once-a-day’ pill may be on par with an inhaler at combating asthma. This tablet, say researchers could revolutionize treatment for the condition, meaning patients are no longer reliant on inhalers, which many find difficult to use. Around 5.4 million Britons have asthma, including 1.1 million children.

5 May 2011

Aleris reaches agreement to acquire Proxima

Aleris, an operating subsidiary to Investor, has reached an agreement to acquire Swedish healthcare provider Proxima Intressenter AB for an enterprise value of SEK 1,080 m.

4 May 2011

Addition of family physicians linked to reduced risk of hospital readmissions

4 May 2011

Vidyo, American Well partner to enable Online Care services

Vidyo, Inc., the first company to deliver personal telepresence, today announced a partnership with American Well, whose Online Care Suite connects providers and patients for live, immediate, and clinically meaningful encounters using the Web or phone.

3 May 2011

Poor asthma training among GP’s: Report

According to figures revealed by authorities, a lack of training for GPs in how to treat asthma is putting sufferers' lives at risk. Asthma UK says a survey found that 47 per cent of GPs admit their own knowledge about the condition could be better. Emergency hospital admissions for asthma cost the NHS over £60m a year, yet the charity maintains 75 per cent of admissions are avoidable. It estimates at least £45m could be saved if GPs were better informed and care was better managed.

3 May 2011

Sports-specialization can increase risk of injuries in young athletes

Competitive young athletes are under increasing pressure to play only one sport year round, but such specialization could increase the risk of injuries, a Loyola University Health System study has found.

3 May 2011

Ipsen first quarter sales increase 6.1% to €285.8 million

Ipsen reported today its sales for the first quarter 2011.

3 May 2011

Progressive Physical Therapy, Doctors Care inaugurate new center in Newberry

Doctors Care and Progressive Physical Therapy, affiliates of UCI Medical Affiliates, Inc., today announced the opening of their newest center at 1410 Wilson Road in Newberry, South Carolina.

3 May 2011

Study evaluates impact of caffeine and technology on adolescent sleep time

Christina Calamaro considers adolescence as more than just a transitional stage between childhood and adulthood. She sees it as an opportunity for positive change.

2 May 2011

VA develops FATE survey to access treatment quality at the end of patients' lives

Though there have been significant improvements in the treatment of head and neck cancer, there is still a lack of data on the experience of end of life care for head and neck cancer patients, according to a new study published in the May 2011 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

2 May 2011

Young black MSM may face high risk of HIV infection

Young black men who have sex with men get infected with HIV nearly five times more often than MSM from other races, even though they don't have more unprotected sex.

2 May 2011

OU-COM receives Osteopathic Heritage Foundation grant to address healthcare issues

The Osteopathic Heritage Foundations' $105 million award to Ohio University's College of Osteopathic Medicine represents the largest private donation ever given to a college or university in Ohio. This gift will be used to address some of the most pressing health care issues across the state and the nation - the impending shortage of primary care physicians and the diabetes epidemic.

2 May 2011

Research highlights need for smoke-free car laws to protect children from toxins

It is absolutely unacceptable to subject children to any tobacco smoke exposure in cars, according to the authors of an abstract to be presented Sunday, May 1, at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Denver.

2 May 2011

Regenstrief Institute president receives 2011 Distinguished Investigator Award

William M. Tierney, M.D., president and CEO of the Regenstrief Institute and associate dean for clinical effectiveness research at the Indiana University School of Medicine, received a 2011 Distinguished Investigator Award presented at the Clinical and Translational Research and Education Meeting on April 28 in Washington, DC.

30 Apr 2011

Frequently hospitalized patients may need a specialist focused on their care: Hospital care expert

Declining rates of hospitalization have discouraged primary care doctors from seeing their patients in the hospital and encouraged the growing use of "hospitalists," a new physician specialty focused on the care of hospitalized patients.

30 Apr 2011