Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Mayo Clinic Health Manager users have access to blood pressure trackers

As part of Mayo Clinic and Microsoft Corp.'s shared vision to help families take better care of their health, the two companies have made enhancements to Mayo Clinic Health Manager, a free online application designed to help people organize and better manage their health. People with conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol will now have access to a variety of trackers and up-to-date information to help keep their conditions under control.

24 Sep 2009

New report on seniors and health insurance reform released

Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today hosted a town hall meeting with seniors in Silver Spring, Md., and released a new report, Health Insurance Reform and Medicare: Making Medicare Stronger for America’s Seniors.

24 Sep 2009

AmeriCares commits to donate medicines and medical supplies to health care organizations

AmeriCares this week pledged to expand its medical assistance across the United States at the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative in New York City. AmeriCares U.S. Medical Assistance Program, announced by President & CEO Curt Welling, is a two-year commitment to improve community health by donating medicines and medical supplies to health care organizations serving the uninsured and underinsured throughout the country.

24 Sep 2009

Safety tips for OTC and prescription medications

The beginning of October marks the start of Talk About Prescriptions Month, which is sponsored by the National Council on Patient Information and Education. In support of this annual awareness effort, Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is sharing tips to help consumers safely take over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

23 Sep 2009

Myths surrounding the hybrid model of concierge care

With an estimated 50 million people potentially entering the healthcare system if coverage for the uninsured is expanded, industry leaders nationwide are concerned about how to provide primary care coverage to new and existing patients. Research indicates that many areas of the country already have severe shortages of primary care physicians (PCP); many in primary care are moving to other specialties or limiting new patients; and the number of medical students entering primary care programs continues to dwindle.

23 Sep 2009

Professional and personal distress levels high in primary care physicians

Primary care physicians who participated in an educational program that included an emphasis on mindful communication reported improvement in personal well-being, emotional exhaustion, empathy and attitudes associated with patient-centered care, according to a study in the September 23/30 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical education.

23 Sep 2009

Children’s Hospital offers tips on H1N1 and seasonal flu

With the early onset of flu season coinciding with the start of school this year, parents are concerned about the flu. Experts from The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colo., offer a pediatric perspective on all types of flu, including H1N1, also known as swine flu.

23 Sep 2009

CIGNA announces initial results of its multi-year strategy to improve customer's experience

CIGNA (NYSE:CI) today announced the initial results of its multi-year strategy that places an entirely new focus on improving customers’ experience. The effort has led to an improvement in customer understanding of their benefits in excess of 100 percent, a 50 percent reduction in the number of printed materials customers receive, and the use of simpler language that doesn’t rely on insurance jargon. It also led CIGNA to become the first in its industry to offer 24 hour-a-day, seven day-a-week customer service.

23 Sep 2009

T-System revises its H1N1 point-of-care charting templates

T-System, Inc., the nation's largest provider of emergency department (ED) clinical documentation tools, today announced it has issued revised H1N1 point-of-care charting templates reflecting the most recent recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

22 Sep 2009

Collaborative initiative to address nursing shortage

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF) today issued its Call for Proposal for Partners Investing in Nursing's Future (PIN), a collaborative initiative that addresses the nursing shortage at the community level through funding partnerships with local and regional foundations.

22 Sep 2009

NIDDK grants HealthPartners Research Foundation $7.3M to study childhood obesity

Three new HealthPartners Research Foundation studies will examine ways to prevent and treat childhood obesity and hypertension. One study will look at interventions to prevent obesity in children ages 5-9, another will focus on obesity prevention in children ages 2-5, while another will examine hypertension in children and adolescents, including the quality and cost of care.

21 Sep 2009

Many Australians at risk of having a heart attack are not receiving the best possible care: Study

The research suggests that GPs are still managing individual risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol in isolation of one another, and are not adopting recommendations to treat a patient's overall or absolute risk. Absolute risk management is based on the principle that the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease act together. By taking this approach treatment can be targeted to those most likely to benefit.

21 Sep 2009

Phytel releases new version of its web-based Proactive Patient Outreach Solution

Phytel, the leading provider of information technology that empowers physician-led health improvement, today announced that version 5 of its web-based Proactive Patient Outreach Solution has been released and fully deployed to all of its customers.

21 Sep 2009

GI cancer detection simpler and cost-effective with new blood tests

Berlin, Germany: Promising results from two new blood tests that can aid in the early identification of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers will be presented at Europe's largest cancer congress, ECCO 15 - ESMO 34 [1], in Berlin today (Monday September 21). The tests will make GI cancer detection simpler, cost-effective, and more acceptable to patients than current methods, the researchers say.

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that GI cancer can be diagnosed using blood tests

...

21 Sep 2009

Center for Hip Pain and Preservation focuses on improved understanding of hip abnormalities

Recent improved understanding of hip abnormalities, combined with advances in diagnostic imaging techniques and minimally invasive surgical treatments are giving many patients new hope for relieving chronic, misdiagnosed hip pain.

21 Sep 2009

Doctors discuss defensive medicine and primary care pay

...

21 Sep 2009

Results from the BLOSSOM trial announced by Arena Pharmaceuticals

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARNA) reported today positive, highly significant top-line results from the BLOSSOM (Behavioral modification and LOrcaserin Second Study for Obesity Management) trial.

18 Sep 2009

NACHC and WGU partner to offer a new online bachelor's degree program in nursing

The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and Western Governors University, www.wgu.edu, will partner to provide clinical training opportunities as part of WGU's new competency-based bachelor's degree program leading to initial RN licensure.

18 Sep 2009

Medical interpreters to help limited English proficient patients

Now, the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy, Center for Health Policy and Missouri Telehealth Network are partnering with the Language Access Metro Project (LAMP) and the Missouri Primary Care Association to provide medical interpreters to non-English-speaking patients who otherwise might not have access to live interpreters.

18 Sep 2009