Journal of general internal medicine
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Falls are common, treatable, and result in considerable morbidity in older adults. However, fall risk factor evaluation and management targeted at high-risk patients is largely neglected in clinical practice. ⋯ Strategies to improve the adoption of fall risk evaluation and management in primary care should address the specific physician, logistical, and patient barriers perceived by physicians who had received an informative, motivational intervention to assess and manage falls among their patients.
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Brief report: Failure of an electronic medical record tool to improve pain assessment documentation.
To comply with pain management standards, Bellevue Hospital in New York City implemented a mandatory computerized pain assessment screen (PAS) in its electronic medical record (EMR) system for every outpatient encounter. We assessed provider acceptance of the instrument and examined whether the intervention led to increased documentation of pain-related diagnoses or inquiries. ⋯ A mandatory computerized pain assessment tool did not lead to an increase in pain-related diagnoses and may have hindered the documentation of pain assessment because of the perceived burden of using the application.
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Little is known about health care and service utilization patterns among low-income African-American women, particularly those who report intimate partner violence (IPV). ⋯ Women reporting high IPV levels are more likely to receive mental health services than women reporting low IPV levels, but may not have access to other needed services. Primary care providers should assess the mental health, legal, and social service needs of abused women, which will facilitate receipt of services.