Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Study explores differences in referral decisions between primary care and specialist physicians

How do physicians decide which colleague to refer their patient to? It differs depending on whether you ask primary care or specialist physicians, according to research from Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, USA, led by Michael Barnett.

20 Sep 2011

Medicaid officials push Florida to improve patient care, reach agreement 'in principle' with Texas

Texas and Florida have requested waivers from the federal government to restructure their Medicaid programs.

17 Sep 2011

MedPAC proposal for additional reimbursement cuts to clinical laboratories are unsustainable: ACLA

The proposal now under consideration by the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee to slash Medicare reimbursement rates for clinical laboratory services as part of a broader effort to fix the Medicare physician-payment system would threaten the economic survival of many clinical labs. That was the message of a letter signed by ACLA President Alan Mertz and sent today to MedPAC Chairman Glenn Hackbarth.

17 Sep 2011

ZocDoc launches in Boston region

Today ZocDoc, a free online service for patients to find a doctor and instantly book appointments, launches in the Boston region. In Massachusetts, where patients experience the longest wait times in the country for doctor appointments, ZocDoc is able to reduce wait times to mere hours.

17 Sep 2011

House Republicans launch new attacks on health law regulations

The medical-loss ratio requirement is one of the prime GOP targets. Democrats responded that Republicans were trying to roll-back key consumer protections. In other health law implementation news, HHS announced new funding for community health centers, and groups interested in setting up health insurance co-ops are seeking certain HHS "tweaks" in the regulations.

17 Sep 2011

Policies needed to prepare individuals, society for earlier diagnosis and high risk of Alzheimer's

The changing tide of Alzheimer's diagnosis presents new challenges to the public, physicians and lawmakers: if you could find out your Alzheimer's risk, would you want to know? How should doctors tell you your risk? And what does it mean for the many newly diagnosed Americans still in the workplace?

16 Sep 2011

Longer looks: Fighting antibiotic resistance; a health care arms race video; the HVP debate

We won't stop the rising tide of infections until we develop a new business model to fight them. We are not quite on the brink of some dystopian Victorian future. But every year, the prognosis for infectious-disease patients gets a bit grimmer. … And more-powerful drugs tend to cost more than the old drugs. … Even in the rich world, death from infection still looms; MRSA alone kills thousands every year. And firms are not developing antibiotics as fast as they used to.

16 Sep 2011

Memory lapses may indicate cognitive problems

Older individuals' complaints about memory lapses such as having trouble remembering recent events may indicate that they are experiencing cognitive problems that are greater than typical age-related changes.

15 Sep 2011

Suicidal teens are not likely to get mental healthcare they need

15 Sep 2011

Roundup: Major Mass. health system, insurer near reimbursement deal; HHS funds Planned Parenthood in N.H.; 10 Iowa towns to get healthy

Partners HealthCare System Inc. is close to reaching an agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that could provide relief to tens of thousands of insurance customers by slowing the rate of their premium increases, potentially by nearly a quarter of a billion dollars.

15 Sep 2011

Older women uncomfortable about seeking sexual health information

Many women over 50 years old date and are sexually active and thereby face many possible health risks. Yet, most educational campaigns designed to prevent sexually transmitted diseases target younger generations. Older women also need and want more information about sexual health and wellness.

14 Sep 2011

Dementia needs early diagnosis: Report

According to a new report sponsored by Alzheimer’s Disease International, nearly three-quarters of the 36 million people living with dementia have not been diagnosed with it. Experts say the lack of diagnosis has enormous repercussions on early treatment and care, and has a direct impact on the disease’s cost to society.

14 Sep 2011

Suicidal teens not getting needed mental healthcare

Suicidal teens are not likely to get the mental healthcare they need. This is according to a team of researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute, the University of Washington (UW), and Group Health Research Institute. The study, "Adolescents With Suicidal Ideation: Health Care Use and Functioning," was recently published in Academic Pediatrics.

14 Sep 2011

ADI releases World Alzheimer Report 2011

The World Alzheimer Report 2011, released today by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), shows that there are interventions that are effective in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, some of which may be more effective when started earlier, and that there is a strong economic argument in favor of earlier diagnosis and timely intervention.

13 Sep 2011

New contraceptive website for young women

Friends, the mainstream media and the internet, all potentially unreliable sources, continue to be the way America's young adults find their health information. Research has found that while they trust health professionals and health educators, they often do not turn to them for information, especially when it comes to their sexual health.

13 Sep 2011

Researchers investigate impact of physician financial incentives

Health systems haven't figured out how best to structure financial incentives to encourage primary care doctors to do their jobs better, suggests a new paper.

12 Sep 2011

Work intensity of physicians across several specialties is fairly equal: Study

Contrary to longstanding assumptions, new findings suggest the work intensity of physicians across several specialties is fairly equal. The study, funded by the American Academy of Neurology along with several other medical associations and published online ahead of print in the journal Medical Care, provides the groundwork for the development of a more reliable, scientific measurement of physician work intensity that may guide future national policy in patient safety, practice management and payment.

12 Sep 2011

‘Weight Watchers’ twice as effective in weight loss as standard care: Study

A new study published this Thursday shows that overweight patients told by their doctors to go to Weight Watchers lose around twice as much weight as people receiving standard weight loss care over 12 months.

9 Sep 2011

Research roundup: U.S. doctors' pay exceeds foreign counterparts; Medicare Advantage prevents some hospitalizations

Higher Fees Paid To US Physicians Drive Higher Spending For Physician Services Compared To Other Countries -- Researchers focused on primary care visits and hip replacements in the U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada, France and Germany and found that, "public and private payers paid somewhat higher fees to US primary care physicians.

9 Sep 2011

Roundup: Scott's plan stalls to outsource Fla. prison health care; Calif. Blue Shield begins issuing credits after profit cap

Florida's plan to outsource health care in the third-largest U.S. prison system to save $30 million has stalled, hindering efforts by Governor Rick Scott and lawmakers to hire private operators for state services. Requests for proposals on the prison work were withdrawn last month less than a week after they were issued.

9 Sep 2011

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Study explores differences in referral decisions between primary care and specialist physicians

Medicaid officials push Florida to improve patient care, reach agreement 'in principle' with Texas

MedPAC proposal for additional reimbursement cuts to clinical laboratories are unsustainable: ACLA

ZocDoc launches in Boston region

House Republicans launch new attacks on health law regulations

Policies needed to prepare individuals, society for earlier diagnosis and high risk of Alzheimer's

Longer looks: Fighting antibiotic resistance; a health care arms race video; the HVP debate

Memory lapses may indicate cognitive problems

Suicidal teens are not likely to get mental healthcare they need

Roundup: Major Mass. health system, insurer near reimbursement deal; HHS funds Planned Parenthood in N.H.; 10 Iowa towns to get healthy

Older women uncomfortable about seeking sexual health information

Dementia needs early diagnosis: Report

Suicidal teens not getting needed mental healthcare

ADI releases World Alzheimer Report 2011

New contraceptive website for young women

Researchers investigate impact of physician financial incentives

Work intensity of physicians across several specialties is fairly equal: Study

‘Weight Watchers’ twice as effective in weight loss as standard care: Study

Research roundup: U.S. doctors' pay exceeds foreign counterparts; Medicare Advantage prevents some hospitalizations

Roundup: Scott's plan stalls to outsource Fla. prison health care; Calif. Blue Shield begins issuing credits after profit cap

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

How GLP‑1 Agonists Are Shaping the Future of Obesity Treatment With Dr Bryony Henderson

Flow chemistry, AI, and NMR: A next-gen approach to scalable API production

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

How GLP‑1 Agonists Are Shaping the Future of Obesity Treatment With Dr Bryony Henderson

Flow chemistry, AI, and NMR: A next-gen approach to scalable API production

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