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

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

Join the celebration! National PA Week, October 6-12.(FROM THE APPA: News of current interest)
September 1, 2005... Physician Assistant Week, October 6-12, is a national celebration honoring the more than 55,060 physician assistants for the quality care they provide to millions of patients in the United States and around the world. The AAPA Public Relations...

PAs should apply for new NPI numbers.(FROM THE APPA: News of current interest)(National Provider Identifier )(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that, as of May 23, all health care professionals may apply for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number. The purpose of the new NPI system is to uniquely identify each...

PA-like program to produce "new breed of provider" in Great Britain.(physician assistants, medical care practitioner diploma program)
September 1, 2005... As Guy Dean recalls, nearly 70 academicians, government officials, and physicians were discussing ideas for a curriculum one November day nearly 3 years ago. Someone held up a piece of paper that contained the beginnings of a needs analysis for...

Developing new horizons in the Netherlands.(FROM THE APPA: News of current interest)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The Netherlands continues to lead the way among efforts overseas to train PA-like health professionals. Two academic programs, at Utrecht and Nijmegen, began there in 2003; two will launch in September, at Gronengen and Diemen; and two more...

Hyperpharmacotherapy in someone you love.(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... The four of us sat in the "Wellness Clinic"--an ironic name because the elderly woman to be evaluated was far from being well. She had been brought from her room in another part of the assisted living facility where she had resided for 4...

Correction.(Correction notice)
September 1, 2005... "Altered mental status: Cause determines treatment" in the February 2005 issue of JAAPA erroneously stated that glucose can be given before thiamine when Wernicke's encephalopathy is suspected. We should have stated instead that thiamine should...

A celebration of our accomplishments.(American Academy of Physician Assistants )
September 1, 2005... Ensuring your ability to practice * AAPA assisted the Missouri and Delaware state chapters in planning their legislative campaigns and continues to work with the Ohio and Indiana state PA associations to authorize physician-delegated...

Quality incentive programs: how AAPA policy affects you.(SPECIAL ARTICLE)
September 1, 2005... Author's commentary In March 2005, the AAPA's Quality Care Committee * submitted a policy paper on quality incentive programs (better known as pay-for-performance) to the House of Delegates. The intent of the policy paper is to inform PAs about...

A conservative, cost-effective approach to fibromyalgia: researchers have hypothesized that fibromyalgia may be triggered by Lyme disease, hypothyroidism, viral infections, or autoimmune disorders. It is also associated with physical or emotional trauma and childhood abuse.(Recertification Refresher)(Cover story)
September 1, 2005... Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized as chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue and several tender points on examination (see Figure 1). (1) A form of soft tissue rheumatism causing pain and stiffness around...

Strep throat: guidelines for diagnosis and treatment: although penicillin remains the treatment of choice for strep throat, other therapeutic considerations include patient adherence to an antibiotic regimen, recurrent disease, and whether tonsillectomy is indicated.
September 1, 2005... Sore throat of viral origin is a common clinical presentation in the primary care setting. Findings in the National Ambulatory Care Survey indicate that acute pharyngitis is one of the top 20 reported diagnoses and represents 1.1% of primary...

CME post-test.
September 1, 2005... CME POST-TEST EXPIRATION DATE SEPTEMBER 2006 AAPA members: Please take this CME post-test online at www.aapa.org. Buesing AR. A conservative, cost-effective approach to fibromyalgis. JAAPA, 2005; 18(9):32-37. Colletti T, Robinson P....

Case report a foreign body in the urethra: almost every imaginable object has been inserted into the urethra. This case report describes the presentation and management of this unusual phenomenon.(Clinical report)
September 1, 2005... Self-insertion of foreign bodies into the urethra is a phenomenon encountered in both general medical and urologic practice. Cases involving urethral foreign bodies occur frequently and have been reported since the earliest days of the medical...

PAs in endocrinology.(SPECIALTY UPDATE: Focus on PA specialty organizations)
September 1, 2005... PAs in endocrinology are in a small but growing specialty. As such, they sometimes come in contact with physicians who have not had a PA on staff before. * AAPA has developed a new handout designed specifically for physicians and employers...

On the front lines of caring for people with AIDS.(SOUNDING BOARD: JAAPA's op-ed department)(Disease/Disorder overview)
September 1, 2005... Between 1978 and 1980, a cohort of 6,875 homosexual men were studied at the University of California, San Francisco, to determine the incidence and prevalence of a new T-lymph tropic virus, type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus...

Measuring the homocysteine level.(WHEN THE PATIENT ASK: Brief reviews for you and your patients)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2005... Homocystinuria, an autosomal recessive disorder, is the second most treatable aminoacidopathy. (1) Left untreated, it increases risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and stroke. Additionally, homocystinuria...

Should I have a test for homocysteine?(PATIENT INFORMATION: From your physician assistant)
September 1, 2005... Homocysteine is one of the amino acids contained in the body. These amino acids are needed to break down proteins so the cells can use them. However, too much homocysteine can be harmful. This condition is called hyperhomocysteinemia. The...

Vitamin E, donepezil ineffective for mild cognitive impairment.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2005... Clinical question Does Vitamin E or donepezil (Aricept) prevent progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease? Bottom line Vitamin E does not slow progression of mild cognitive impairment to full-fledged Alzheimer's...

Statins associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Clinical question Is statin use associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer? Bottom line This observational study found an association between statin use and a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Large randomized controlled trials...

Parents satisfied with no treatment of otitis.(Patient-oriented evidence that matters)
September 1, 2005... Clinical question Are parents whose children do not receive treatment for acute otitis media less satisfied with their child's care? Bottom line Parents don't seem to mind if their children are not treated with antibiotics. In this study...

Think again about that pedicure.(DERMATOLOGY DIGEST: A derm photo quiz)
September 1, 2005... A 30-year-old white man presented to our dermatology clinic complaining of a 1-month history of painful sores on both lower legs. He had seen his primary care provider, who had said that he had a Staphylococcus aureus infection and treated him...

CME calendar.(Calendar)
September 1, 2005... ALASKA October 5-7 All-Alaska Medical Conference. Where: Anchorage. Provider: Alaska Academy of Physician Assistants, Information: www.akapa.com. CALIFORNIA September 30-October 2 29th Annual CAPA Conference. Where: Palm...

Case of the month: diagnostic challenges from your case files.
September 1, 2005... CPT Stephen Seward, SP, PT, OCS CASE The patient is a 29-year-old soldier who has been deployed to Kuwait for 6 months and presented with a self-reported "bunion" on his left foot. He was referred to physical therapy (PT) for...