Family practice
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Observational Study
New ways of working releasing general practitioner capacity with pharmacy prescribing support: a cost-consequence analysis.
General practice in the United Kingdom is experiencing a workforce crisis. Greater multidisciplinary working, including more general practice pharmacists, is seen as part of the solution. However, it is unknown what impact and cost-consequences that pharmacists may have in freeing general practitioner (GP) capacity. ⋯ Appropriately resourced general practice pharmacy teams delivered prescribing cost-efficiencies as well as sustainably freeing GP capacity by performing key prescribing activities.
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Obesity is associated with stigma and discrimination. Health care providers should approach these patients professionally and without stigma, since treatment of obesity requires a relationship with mutual understanding between the doctor and patient. ⋯ Viewpoints on obesity were different, both within and between the groups. Some GPs consider obesity mainly as a lifestyle problem, rather than a chronic disease. If patients and doctors can find mutual viewpoints on obesity, both patient satisfaction and a treatment strategy will be more effective.
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In light of current debate around securing and distributing the General Practitioner (GP) workforce in Australia, we analysed rural health workforce data to identify characteristics associated with long-term tenure for rural female GPs, an importantly lacking part of the rural workforce in Australia. ⋯ The factors involved in long-term rural work for female GPs include a longitudinal set from medical school into postgraduate practice life, some based on Australian government policy initiatives and others on lifestyle choices. These factors should be considered in providing a clinically mature female GP workforce to rural populations.
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Shared medical appointments (SMAs) may help mitigate some of the barriers for managing obesity in primary care. The primary aim of this systematic review was to measure the effect of weight loss SMAs. ⋯ Overall, SMAs may be of benefit to address obesity in primary care, particularly for women and older adults. Appropriately designed prospective and controlled studies are required to engage their target audience and to assess whether SMAs are superior to other weight loss options in primary care.
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Lung ultrasound (LUS) has become the first diagnostic imaging approach to assess lung involvement in COVID-19. While LUS proved to be safe, reliable, and accurate, not many primary care physicians (PCP) are capable to employ this instrument in the first evaluation of COVID-19 outpatients. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a brief training program in LUS for PCP. ⋯ This study showed that a short training program, but comprising a hands-on practice, is capable to bring even almost novices to achieve a high overall accuracy and reliability in detecting lung involvement in COVID-19. This may result in a significant improvement of the performances of PCP involved in the first evaluation of COVID-19 cases in primary care facilities.