Journal of general internal medicine
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Educating medical trainees to practice high value care is a critical component to improving quality of care and should be introduced at the beginning of medical education. ⋯ In the first 3 years of the initiative, we successfully engaged medical students and junior faculty to create and support the implementation of successful quality improvement initiatives. Since that time, the program continues to offer meaningful mentorship and scholarship opportunities.
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This is the first study, to our knowledge, to assess uptake of oral antiviral treatment (OAV) for COVID-19 in the US and assess whether it is reaching recommended groups. ⋯ A minority of increased-risk US residents have accessed early therapy for COVID-19 despite being made available without cost. Responses suggest that efforts to improve patient and provider knowledge could improve utilization to mitigate future COVID-19 hospitalizations.
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Telehealth delivery of preventive health services may improve access to care; however, its effectiveness and adverse effects are unknown. We conducted a comparative effectiveness review on the effectiveness and harms of telehealth interventions for women's reproductive health and intimate partner violence (IPV) services. ⋯ Telehealth interventions for contraceptive care and IPV services demonstrate equivalent clinical and patient-reported outcomes versus in-person care, although few studies are available. Effective approaches for delivering these services and how to best mobilize telehealth, particularly for women facing barriers to care remain uncertain.
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The VA MISSION Act aimed to increase Veterans' access to care by allowing eligible Veterans to use VA-paid care from non-VA providers ("VA-purchased care"). We interviewed Veterans who were eligible for both VA-delivered and VA-purchased care to examine factors they consider when making decisions about whether to use VA-delivered or VA-purchased care. ⋯ Current VA-purchased care eligibility determinations focus on common access metrics (e.g., wait times, distance to care). Yet, Veterans discussed other important factors for navigating care decisions, including patient-provider relationship quality and the larger healthcare environment (e.g., interactions with staff and other Veterans). Our findings point to the need for health systems to collect and provide information on these aspects of care to ensure care decisions reflect what is important to Veterans when navigating where to receive care.