J Am Board Fam Med
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Many community health centers (CHC) are scaling social risk screening in response to growing awareness of the influence of social adversity on health outcomes and concurrent incentives for social risk data collection. We studied the implementation of social risk screening in Texas CHCs to inform best practices and understand equity implications. ⋯ Study CHCs were in the early stages of standardizing social risk screening. Differences in screening reach by patient demographics raise concerns that social screening initiatives, which often serve as a path to resource/service connection, might exacerbate disparities. Overcoming barriers to reach, sustainability, and equity requires supports targeted to program design/development, workforce capacity, and quality improvement.
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On July 20, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), issued a Special Fraud Alert warning healthcare providers of increased fraudulent activity surrounding telemedicine companies. The Alert marks a further escalation of a multi-year effort by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the HHS-OIG to crack down on multi-billion dollar fraud cases involving telehealth companies. It is the objective of this Commentary to place the HHS-OIG Special Fraud Alert in the context of enforcement efforts by the DOJ and HHS to stem the recent growth in telehealth fraud resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Taken together, it is apparent this is a critical moment in the evolution of telehealth and it is crucial to strike a proper balance between effective regulation and enforcement on the one hand, and access to care on the other.
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This assessment of the "top hospitals" in the US according to 4 leading rankings reveals only 4 to 7% of represented CEOs are primary care physicians by training. Greater attention to leadership development from primary care residency through health system practice is needed to avoid diminishing primary care's critical role and salutary global benefits.