Annals of Family Medicine articles from July 2004

Annals of Family Medicine archives from July 2004

In this issue: practice change and patient safety.(Editorial)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... In this issue we present a large series of articles on the related topics of practice quality improvement and patient safety. This issue also features an updated recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force, 2 timely studies--one...

Why isn't it better?(Editorial)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... In the past 30 years health service research has described how health care can be made better. (1) Despite this unprecedented knowledge, health care remains seriously deficient in many ways. (1-3) Why isn't it better? When asked that...

A randomized controlled trial to increase cancer screening among attendees of community health centers.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND We assessed the efficacy of the Cancer Screening Office Systems (Cancer SOS), an intervention designed to increase cancer screening in primary care settings serving disadvantaged populations. METHODS Eight primary...

Going to scale: re-engineering systems for primary care treatment of depression.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Recent trials have shown improved depression outcomes with chronic care models. We report the methods of a project that assesses the sustainability and transportability of a chronic care model for depression and change...

Primary care clinicians evaluate integrated and referral models of behavioral health care for older adults: results from a multisite effectiveness trial (PRISM-E).
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown that integrated behavioral health services for older adults in primary care improves health outcomes. No study, however, has asked the opinions of clinicians whose patients actually experienced...

Preventing errors in clinical practice: a call for self-awareness.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT While ascribing medical errors primarily to systems factors can free clinicians from individual blame, there are elements of medical errors that can and should be attributed to individual factors. These factors are related less...

A string of mistakes: the importance of cascade analysis in describing, counting, and preventing medical errors.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Notions about the most common errors in medicine currently rest on conjecture and weak epidemiologic evidence. We sought to determine whether cascade analysis is of value in clarifying the epidemiology and causes of...

Event reporting to a primary care patient safety reporting system: a report from the ASIPS collaborative.(Applied Strategies for Improving Patient Safety )
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND We examined reports to a primary care, ambulatory, patient safety reporting system to describe types of errors reported and differences between anonymous and confidential reports. METHODS Applied Strategies for...

Patient reports of preventable problems and harms in primary health care.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Despite recent attention given to medical errors, little is known about the kinds and importance of medical errors in primary care. The principal aims of this study were to develop patient-focused typologies of medical...

Appropriateness of Lyme disease serologic testing.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Although rapid diagnosis of Lyme disease is essential for effective treatment, there is concern about inappropriate testing. We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional survey of clinicians to assess the use and...

The visit before the morning after: barriers to preprescribing emergency contraception.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Research suggests that while advance prescription of emergency contraception (EC) increases women's access, this prescribing model is rarely used. The present study sought to explore attitudes towards EC among patients...

Subclinical hypothyroidism and the risk of hypercholesterolemia.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Subclinical hypothyroidism, defined as a mild elevation in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in patients with normal serum thyroxine levels, has been associated with elevationed levels in serum cholesterol in...

Discussing spirituality with patients: a rational and ethical approach.
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND This study was undertaken to determine when patients feel that physician inquiry about spirituality or religious beliefs is appropriate, reasons why they want their physicians to know about their spiritual beliefs, and...

Screening for syphilis infection: recommendation statement.
July 1, 2004... This statement summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on screening for syphilis and the supporting scientific evidence, and updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services,...

Pounds.(Reflections)
July 1, 2004... ABSTRACT This is the story of a loving relationship between a doctor and a vibrant, elderly woman. In the story, the doctor learns to accept his patient's noncompliance with medical regimens; at the same time, he learns something about his...

Improving health care locally and globally.(On Track)
July 1, 2004... More than 100 online comments have been posted since our last On TRACK summary. Annals readers are insightful and are sharing those insights! Much of the discussion relates to the supplement based on the World Organization of Family Doctors...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2004... The author list for the report of Task Force 1 of the Future of Family Medicine project has been corrected in the report, which appears online at http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/2/suppl_1/s33. A singularly unfortunate error had led to...

The MC-FP process approaches its second year.(From the American Board of Family Practice)(Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians )
July 1, 2004... The American Board of Family Practice (ABFP)'s Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP) process is now welcoming its second group of Diplomates who certify or recertify in 2004. These physicians will begin their MC-FP cycle in...

Stephen Zyzanski receives the 2004 Curtis G. Hames research award.(From the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine)
July 1, 2004... At the 2004 Annual Spring Conference for the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM), the 2004 Curtis G. Hames research award was presented to Stephen Zyzanski, PhD. Dr. Zyzanski is the director of research at the Department of Family...

Family medicine and academic health centers.(From the Association of Departments of Family Medicine)
July 1, 2004... The Future of Family Medicine Project has elicited quite a bit of reaction within academic departments. While most of the reaction has been quite positive, there has been spirited disagreement with the section on the role of family medicine in...

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Medicine Research for Medical Students and Residents.
July 1, 2004... The Future of Family Medicine report emphasizes the importance of research to all family physicians and the need to expose students and residents to research experiences in family medicine. The North American Primary Care Research Group...

Pilot project studies her implementation issues.(From the American Academy of Family Physicians)
July 1, 2004... President Bush has made implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) a priority and wants EHRs used nationwide by 2010. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has a more ambitious goal: to have 50% of active members using...