Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Does affiliation of physician groups with one another produce higher quality primary care?
Recent reports have emphasized the importance of delivery systems in improving health care quality. However, few prior studies have assessed differences in primary care quality between physician groups that differ in size and organizational configuration. We examined whether larger physician group size and affiliation with networks of multiple groups are associated with higher quality of care. ⋯ Physician group affiliation with networks of multiple groups was associated with higher quality, and for measures of diabetes care the quality advantage of network-affiliation was most evident among smaller physician groups.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Screening for posttraumatic stress disorder in VA primary care patients with depression symptoms.
Unrecognized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common and may be an important factor in treatment-resistant depression. Brief screens for PTSD have not been evaluated for patients with depression. ⋯ Most depressed VA primary care patients report a history of trauma, and one third may have comorbid PTSD. Our 4-item screen has useful LRs for scores of 0 and 3. Modifying item rating options may improve screening characteristics.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Effect of health-related quality of life on women and men's Veterans Affairs (VA) health care utilization and mortality.
Although women will account for almost 11% of veterans by 2040, we know little about their health and functioning, particularly compared to men. ⋯ Compared to men, women veterans receiving VA health care in the upper Midwest catchment area had better HRQOL and used fewer health services. Although VA health care utilization was similar across gender after adjusting for HRQOL, poorer mental or physical health was associated with fewer primary care stops for selected subgroups of women.
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Comparative Study
Implicit bias among physicians and its prediction of thrombolysis decisions for black and white patients.
Studies documenting racial/ethnic disparities in health care frequently implicate physicians' unconscious biases. No study to date has measured physicians' unconscious racial bias to test whether this predicts physicians' clinical decisions. ⋯ This study represents the first evidence of unconscious (implicit) race bias among physicians, its dissociation from conscious (explicit) bias, and its predictive validity. Results suggest that physicians' unconscious biases may contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in use of medical procedures such as thrombolysis for myocardial infarction.
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Comparative Study
Surviving surrogate decision-making: what helps and hampers the experience of making medical decisions for others.
A majority of end-of-life medical decisions are made by surrogate decision-makers who have varying degrees of preparation and comfort with their role. Having a seriously ill family member is stressful for surrogates. Moreover, most clinicians have had little training in working effectively with surrogates. ⋯ These data provide insights into the challenges that surrogates encounter when making decisions for loved ones and indicate areas where clinicians could intervene to facilitate the process of surrogate decision-making. Clinicians may want to include surrogates in advance care planning prior to decision-making, identify and address surrogate stressors during decision-making, and designate one person to communicate information about the patient's condition, prognosis, and treatment options.