Journal of general internal medicine
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Compassion is central to healthcare. It is valued by both patients and physicians and predicts better outcomes for patients, physicians, and healthcare organisations. Whilst most studies to date have focused on providers' expression of compassion, the current report was designed to focus on the patient, specifically identifying patient and physician variables predicting the patient experience of compassion from physicians. ⋯ Our data highlight how little is known about the patient experience of compassion and imply that the patient experience of compassion may or may not be related to physician compassion. Consequently, we need to supplement our ongoing study of the origins and determinants of compassion in healthcare providers with an equally systematic, rigorous, and empirically based study of the patient experience of compassion from providers.
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Despite increasing attention on health literacy and the inclusion of grade reading level recommendations in guidelines, it remains unclear if lowering the grade reading level of written health information to specific target grades improves patient-related outcomes. ⋯ ACTRN12623000224628p.
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Patients who have been discharged "against medical advice" (AMA) are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality, but there is little research about patients who have had more than one AMA discharge. ⋯ Patients who have been discharged AMA more than once represent a vulnerable population with significant unmet needs.
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With more than half of all beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, ensuring access to high-quality MA plans is a key concern for policymakers. Access to high-quality MA plans may be limited in certain areas if private insurers are not willing to offer high-quality MA plans in local areas with greater unmet health-related social needs. ⋯ As historically marginalized groups are more likely to reside in markets with greater unmet social needs, disparities in access to high-quality MA plans may widen existing health disparities. Therefore, monitoring the availability of high-quality MA plans in areas with greater unmet social needs is needed to improve health equity for MA beneficiaries.