Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Prescription coverage, use and spending before and after Part D implementation: a national longitudinal panel study.
In January 2006, 43 million Medicare beneficiaries became eligible for subsidized prescription coverage (Part D) through Medicare. To date, no longitudinal study has afforded information on beneficiaries' prescription coverage transitions and corresponding changes in prescription use and spending. ⋯ In its first year, Part D coverage appears to have moderated prescription spending and cost-related burden for those who previously had meager benefits or none. Increased spending among those with employer-based coverage may reflect a narrowing of those benefits over this period. Evidence of foregone care among low-income, chronically ill seniors who still lack prescription coverage highlights the importance of targeted outreach to this group for Part D's low-income subsidy program.
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Teaching effectiveness is an important criterion for promoting clinician-educators. However, the relationship between residents' psychological characteristics and their assessments of faculty physicians is unknown. ⋯ This study demonstrates that residents' well-being does not influence their assessments of faculty physicians, thus supporting the trustworthiness of these assessments as a criterion for promoting clinician-educators. However, the association between residents' empathy and resident-of-faculty assessments suggests that faculty assessments may be modestly influenced by residents' intrinsic characteristics.
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Multicenter Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Implementation of the Tobacco Tactics program in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Smoking cessation services in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are currently provided via outpatient groups, while inpatient cessation programs have not been widely implemented. ⋯ A large proportion of inpatient nursing staff can rapidly be trained to deliver tobacco cessation interventions to inpatients resulting in increased provision of services.
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Comparative Study
Mental health diagnoses and utilization of VA non-mental health medical services among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Over 35% of returned Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in VA care have received mental health diagnoses; the most prevalent is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Little is known about these patients' use of non-mental health medical services and the impact of mental disorders on utilization. ⋯ Veterans with mental health diagnoses, particularly PTSD, utilize significantly more VA non-mental health medical services. As more veterans return home, we must ensure resources are allocated to meet their outpatient, inpatient, and emergency needs.