JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants articles from May 2008

JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants archives from May 2008

Increased PA ownership interest under Medicare.(FROM THE AAPA)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... AAPA has initiated a lobbying effort aimed at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow physician assistants to own 100% of a corporation that is eligible to bill Medicare. Presently, physician assistants may own up to 99%...

AAPA data show experience a factor in PA income.(FROM THE AAPA)
May 1, 2008... An analysis of data from the 2007 AAPA Physician Assistant Census found that more years of health care experience involving direct patient contact prior to entering PA school resulted in higher income during the first 5 years of practice as a...

Tell AAPA your CME needs.(FROM THE AAPA)(American Academy of Physician Assistants )(Survey)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Help set the course for AAPA's future CME offerings. Log on now to participate in AAPA's new Web-based CME needs assessment and to help ensure that AAPA continues to offer the CME that PAs need the most. To take the 10-minute survey, go to...

PAs and the practice of genetic medicine.(EDITORIAL)
May 1, 2008... Concerted, visionary efforts by the PA profession's formal leadership and its rank-and-file members have placed physician assistants in a position of prominence with respect to the integration of genetics into education and practice. Those...

Product: Flector Patch.(New Drug Information)(Drug overview)
May 1, 2008... COMPANY: Alpharma PHARMACOLOGIC CLASS: Topical analgesic (NSAID) ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Diclofenac epolamine 180mg; per patch. INDICATION: Topical treatment of acute pain due to minor strains, sprains, and contusions. ...

Worrisome perioral rash on a young boy.(Dermatology Digest)(Case study)
May 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Colette Caputo practices at the Center for Dermatology, Coral Springs, Florida. She has indicated no relationships to disclose relating to the content of this article. CASE A 9-year-old African-American male was...

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancers.(GENETICS)
May 1, 2008... * WHO SHOULD READ THIS? PAs who work in primary care settings, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, and surgery and who take care of patients who may be at risk for developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancers (HBOC). * WHAT'S NEW?...

The diagnosis and treatment of dementia with Lewy bodies: an accurate diagnosis is needed to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Revisions in the diagnostic criteria for DLB help PAs to distinguish it more easily from other dementias.(CME)(Cover story)
May 1, 2008... Approximately 7% of persons older than 65 years and 30% of those older than 80 years have dementia. (1) Furthermore, the incidence of dementia will certainly rise as the elderly population increases. Not all dementia is Alzheimer's disease...

Spinal reconstruction in Hajdu-Cheney syndrome.(The Surgical Patient)(Case study)
May 1, 2008... Hajdu-Cheney syndrome (HCS), or acroosteolysis, is described by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) as a rare, heritable disorder of connective tissue. A major characteristic of HCS is breakdown of the bone (osteolysis),...

Acute HIV infection comes with a missed opportunity: if you miss acute HIV infection, you miss a chance to prevent transmission of HIV as well. Patients are highly infectious, so a quick diagnosis is essential.(CASE REPORT)(humanimmuno virus)(Case study)
May 1, 2008... CASE The patient was a 31-year-old single male who worked in a hospital and had previously been in good health. He presented to primary care concerned that he might have "strep throat" or some other infection. He had been ill for i week...

The effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on coronary disease: the cardioprotective properties of PUFAs can reduce the risk of heart disease. Fatty fish and fish oils are the best sources for these essential fatty acids.
May 1, 2008... Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States today. Approximately 480,000 persons die from CAD each year, and more than 330,000 of these deaths occur in the emergency department. Most of these sudden deaths...

Child maltreatment: seeing the problem is only step one: why do abuse victims finally disclose what's happened to them? For one simple reason: someone asked the right questions in an environment that felt safe to the child.(CME)
May 1, 2008... The statistics are shocking: in fiscal year 2005, 3.6 million children were investigated by child protective services (CPS) as victims of maltreatment; abuse or neglect was substantiated in approximately 899,000 children; and 1,460 children...

CME posttest.
May 1, 2008... EXPIRATION DATE: MAY 2009 All posttest must be submitted online to AAPA. The CME scoring service is provided at no charge to current Fellow members of AAPA. Others must submit a $20 scoring fee for each posttest using AAPA's secure...

Does the use of episiotomy, protect against postpartum incontinence?(CAT Clinic)(Case study)
May 1, 2008... A 26-year-old woman presents for a routine prenatal visit. She is a primigravida, 34 weeks pregnant, and has been healthy throughout her pregnancy. She has never smoked and stopped social alcohol use before conception. The patient is currently...

Multifactorial intervention improves outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
May 1, 2008... Clinical question Does an intensive multifactorial intervention improve long-term outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes? Bottom line For high-risk diabetic patients with microalbuminuria, an intensive intervention that includes an ACE...

CBT plus alternative SSRI is better than alternative SSRI alone in adolescent depression.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Cognitive behavioral therapy )(selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor )
May 1, 2008... Clinical question What is the best treatment strategy for adolescent depression resistant to an initial selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)? Bottom line Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) plus a switch to another SSRI or...

Q: Should I get a heart scan?(When the Patient Asks)
May 1, 2008... Electron beam CT (EBCT) can accurately detect and quantify the degree of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. (1-6) Patients who have a family history of heart disease, who have hyperlipidemia, or who smoke tobacco should...

Q: Should I get a heart scan?(Patient Information)
May 1, 2008... * WHAT IS CORONARY DISEASE? In coronary disease, the arteries of the heart become blocked and blood cannot reach the heart. This is called atherosclerosis. A person with this type of heart disease may feel chest pain. Shortness of breath...

An ice hockey player with an unusual elbow injury.(Diagnostic Imaging Review)(Case study)
May 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE A 16-year-old right-hand-dominant male presented to the clinic with a complaint of left elbow pain. The patient, who played goalkeeper for his hockey team, stated that while tending goal, he caught the puck...

Case of the month.(Case study)
May 1, 2008... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] * CASE The patient is a 38-year-old woman who presented to clinic with a 3-month history of missed periods. She had been taking oral contraceptives (OCs) for the past 2 years to regulate her menses, which had become...