Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Feb 2023
Partnering for Integrated Care: A Learning Collaborative for Primary Care and Oral Health Teams.
The Teaming and Integrating for Smiles and Health (TISH) Learning Collaborative was developed to help health care organizations accelerate progress in integrating delivery of oral and primary care. By providing expert support and a structure for testing change, the project aimed to improve the early detection of hypertension in the dental setting and of gingivitis in the primary care setting, and to increase the rate of bidirectional referrals between oral and primary care partners. We report its outcomes. ⋯ The TISH project is evidence that a virtual Learning Collaborative is an accessible and productive avenue to improve interprofessional education, further primary care and oral partnerships, and achieve practical progress in integrated care.
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Annals of family medicine · Feb 2023
Building Rural Primary Care Research by Connecting Rural Programs.
Both research and medical education make substantial contributions to rural primary care and health. An inaugural Scholarly Intensive for Rural Programs was conducted in January 2022 to connect rural programs within a community of practice focused on promoting scholarly activity and research in rural primary health care, education, and training. Participant evaluations confirmed that key learning objectives were met, including stimulating scholarly activity in rural health professions education programs, providing a forum for faculty and student professional development, and growing a community of practice that supports education and training in rural communities. This novel strategy brings enduring scholarly resources to rural programs and the communities they serve, teaches skills to health profession trainees and rurally located faculty, empowers clinical practices and educational programs, and supports the discovery of evidence that can improve the health of rural people.
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Annals of family medicine · Feb 2023
Our Souls Look Back and Wonder: Reflections on Belonging and Being Invisible in Medicine.
Addressing the unequal impact of health disparities on historically marginalized communities is a top public health priority. Diversifying the work force has been lauded as key to addressing this challenge. Contributing to diversity in the workforce is the recruitment and retention of health professionals previously excluded and underrepresented in medicine. ⋯ The lack of representation, unequal expectations, and over taxation contributes to the feeling of not belonging, leading to emotional, physical, and academic fatigue. Feeling invisible, yet paradoxically being hyper-visible, is also common. Despite the challenges, the authors conclude with a sense of hope for the future, if not for them, for the generations to come.
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Annals of family medicine · Feb 2023
Patient and Health Care Professional Perspectives on Stigma in Integrated Behavioral Health: Barriers and Recommendations.
Stigma related to mental health is well documented and a major barrier to using mental and physical health care. Integrated behavioral health (IBH) in primary care, in which behavioral/mental health care services are located within a primary care setting, may reduce the experience of stigma. The purpose of this study was to assess the opinions of patients and health care professionals about mental illness stigma as a barrier to engagement with IBH and to gain insight into strategies to reduce stigma, encourage discussion of mental health, and increase uptake of IBH care. ⋯ Health care professionals can help reduce perceptions of stigma by having conversations with patients that normalize mental health discussion, use patient-centered communication, promote professional self-disclosure, and are tailored to patients' preferred understanding.
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Annals of family medicine · Feb 2023
Impact of Stigma on Clinician Training for Opioid Use Disorder Care: A Qualitative Study in a Primary Care Learning Collaborative.
We undertook a study to examine how stigma influences the uptake of training on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in primary care academic programs. ⋯ OUD-related stigma was commonly reported in training programs and impeded the uptake of MOUD training. Potential strategies to address stigma in the training context, beyond providing content on effective evidence-based treatments, include addressing the concerns of primary care clinicians and incorporating the chronic care framework into OUD treatment.