JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from December 2005

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from December 2005

Learn about the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.
December 1, 2005... AAPA has created a Web page specifically for PAs about the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. PAs in all patient care settings will find the information and resources about the drug program critical in talking to seniors and their...

Good news for PAs in critical access hospitals.(physician assistants)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... PAs and physicians who work in critical access hospitals (CAHs) received good news when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final rule for Medicare Changes to the Hospital Prospective Payment System for Calendar Year...

Last-minute CME.(continuing medical education)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Are you approaching a deadline for earning CME credits? If so, be sure to check out the offerings at www.aapa. org/cme/hs-progs.html. Offerings include * MedCases: 95 case-based learning opportunities, each approved for up to 2 credits....

Sexual assault--myths and facts.(Editorial)
December 1, 2005... I was both sad and angry when I heard recent statistics about the incidence of a specific crime in this country. According to FBI data, murders in 2004 decreased for the first time in 5 years, and the number of violent crimes, including...

Good-bye to all that (with apologies to Robert Graves).(physician assistant education)(Column)
December 1, 2005... When I graduated from PA school, my mother threw a party to celebrate. In addition to cannoli, she bought some party favors from a little Italian bakery on Northern Boulevard in Queens. I'm looking at one now. It's a small plastic figurine of a...

A day in the life: how PAs live and work.(physician assistants)(Chronology)
December 1, 2005... I would never have guessed that when I graduated from PA school, I would find myself practicing obstetrics and urogynecology. I enjoyed my rotation in ob/gyn, but my focus at the time was cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. When it came time...

Childhood obesity: curbing an American epidemic: the number of overweight children in this country has increased more than 50% in just one generation. Whether they work in primary care or specialty practices, PAs are first responders in this new public health emergency.(physician assistants)(Medical condition overview)
December 1, 2005... The modern American lifestyle, comprised primarily of sedentary activity and a diet high in calories, has produced an epidemic of alarming proportions in today's youth: obesity. Childhood obesity is a health concern of great magnitude. It...

A comprehensive review of tremor: an organized approach to the patient assessment is crucial to reaching an accurate diagnosis. Consider the constellation of signs and symptoms, and know the characteristics of each form of tremor.(Recertification Refresher)(Medical condition overview)
December 1, 2005... A 65-year-old man presents to his primary care provider with bilateral tremor in his upper extremities that has worsened gradually over the past several months. The tremor is slightly worse on the left side and more pronounced near his hand....

CME post-test.
December 1, 2005... EXPIRATION DATE DECEMBER 2006 AAPA members: Please take this CME post-test online at www.aapa.org. Noller DT, Paulk D. Childhood obesity: Curbing an American epidemic. JAAPA. 2005;18(12):32-38. Wyne KT. A comprehensive review of...

A clinician's guide to condoms, spermicides, microbicides, and lubricants: apart from abstinence, the proper use of a new latex condom during every act of sexual intercourse is currently the most effective method of preventing sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.(Cover story)
December 1, 2005... A 55-year-old man finds himself single after being in a mutually monogamous relationship for 20 years. In order to prepare himself for future sexual relationships, he goes to the local drugstore to purchase condoms. Once in the store, however,...

Yes, the sexual history IS important.(medical history taking)(Column)
December 1, 2005... Primary care practitioners repeatedly admit that they seldom ask patients about their sexual practices when taking a history. (1) They are reluctant to address sexual health issues for several reasons, including embarrassment, feeling ill...

A case of scarring alopecia.(lichen planopilaris)(Disease/Disorder overview)
December 1, 2005... A 53-year-old white woman presents to the dermatology clinic for a refill on her ketoconazole 2% shampoo. About 1 year ago, her primary care provider had prescribed this antifungal shampoo for treatment of a pruritic, balding, tender area on...

A long-term smoker with right-sided weakness and "heaviness" in one leg.(Medical condition overview)
December 1, 2005... CASE A 47-year-old African-American woman presented to the emergency department (ED) with right-sided weakness and what she described as feelings of "heaviness" in the right leg. She also complained of mild abdominal discomfort. These...

Shared decision making not for all patients.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
December 1, 2005... Clinical question To what extent do people want to be involved in their own health care decisions? Bottom line Older, less educated people and those in poorer health prefer to rely more on their physician for information, rather than on...

No difference among new antidepressants.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2005... Clinical question Which of the newer antidepressants is safer and more effective? Bottom line When it comes to the new, nontricyclic antidepressants, the medical literature does not give us any clear guidance as to which one is more...

Melanoma incidence is not really rising.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Clinical question Has the incidence of skin melanoma increased? Bottom line This study provides preliminary evidence that the incidence of melanoma is increasing not because of factors such as skin burns and ozone layer holes but simply...

CME calendar.(Calendar)
December 1, 2005... ALABAMA February 24-25 ASPA Annual CME Conference. Where: Birmingham. Provider: Alabama Society of PAs. Information: www. alabamapasociety.org. ARIZONA March 29-April 1 Spring Primary Care Conference. Where: Sedona. Provider:...

PAs in surgery.(physician assistants)
December 1, 2005... PAs in surgery and the surgical subspecialties represent nearly 25% of all clinically practicing PAs in the United States. This statistic comes from the report of the 2005 AAPA Physician Assistant Census, which is posted on the AAPA Web site,...

PAs in oncology.(physician assistants)
December 1, 2005... PAs in oncology can be found in various clinical settings. The AAPA Annual Census Survey tracks PAs in radiation oncology, surgical oncology, pediatric oncology, and internal medicine oncology. * To help educate physicians and the general...

Case of the month: diagnostic challenges from your case files.(multifocal osteomyelitis)(Disease/Disorder overview)
December 1, 2005... CASE The patient is a 15-year-old male who was referred to our clinic for evaluation of a recently discovered humeral lesion. The referring orthopedic surgeon had seen him approximately 2 weeks before, at which time the patient described a...