Journal of general internal medicine
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Delays in Follow-up Care for Abnormal Mammograms in Mobile Mammography Versus Fixed-Clinic Patients.
Mobile mammographic services (MM) have been shown to increase breast cancer screening in medically underserved women. However, little is known about MM patients' adherence to follow-up of abnormal mammograms and how this compares with patients from traditional, fixed clinics. ⋯ A substantial proportion of women screened using MM had follow-up delays. Women who are African American, self-referred, or unmarried are particularly at risk of experiencing delays in care for an abnormal mammogram.
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Case-based Morning Report (MR) has long been the predominant educational conference in Internal Medicine (IM) residency programs. The last comprehensive survey of IM MR was in 1986. Much has changed in the healthcare landscape since 1986 that may impact MR. ⋯ While MR ubiquity reflects its continued perceived value, PDs have modified MR to accommodate changes in the healthcare environment. This includes reduced frequency, shorter length, and moving conferences later in the day. Additional studies are needed to understand how these changes impact learning.
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Broad consensus supports the use of primary care to address unmet need for mental health treatment. ⋯ Primary care is partially filling the gap for mental health treatment when specialty care is not available. Patient experiences reinforce the need for screening and follow-up in primary care, clinician training, and referral to a trusted specialty consultant when needed.
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A study has shown that industry payments to physicians for drugs are associated not only with higher drug prescriptions but also with higher non-drug costs due to additional utilization of healthcare services. However, the association between industry payments to cardiologists for antiplatelet drugs and the costs and number of percutaneous coronary interventions they perform has not been investigated. ⋯ Industry payments to cardiologists for antiplatelet drugs were associated with both prescribing of antiplatelet drugs and the use of cardiac procedures and stents. Further research is warranted to understand whether the observed associations are causal or reflect a greater propensity for higher volume proceduralists to have relationships with industry.