J Am Board Fam Med
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A race and gender salary gap has been well-documented throughout the U. S. economy, but little described in primary care. Using self-reported data on the most widely distributed primary care physician specialty, we reveal lower incomes and hourly wages among Black/African American and female family physicians. The clear gradient in family physician compensation by race and gender demands further study and action to better understand and address the underlying sources of these differences.
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The Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs), the subject of Section 1322 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), were to constitute "qualified nonprofit health insurance issuers." Designed with an eye toward increasing competition with the extant commercial and nonprofit insurance sector, the CO-OPs were to enhance consumer choice as well as hold down prices on the state and federal exchanges. To achieve these ends, the consumer-governed state-licensed CO-OPs were to target the individual and small-group markets. At least one qualified CO-OP was to be established in each and every state. ⋯ At the time of this writing, only three of these CO-OPs remain operational in the states of Maine, Montana, and Wisconsin. Viewed in hindsight, the thorough dissolution of the CO-OPs was the product of incremental financial privation effectuated by congressional opponents of the ACA. In this Commentary, we revisit the ontogeny of the CO-OP construct, review its partisan dismantling, and explore the potential resurrection thereof.
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As usual, this issue of the JABFM contains research as broad as the specialty of family medicine itself. The social determinants of health are again a prominent topic. COVID-19 topics in this issue include over-the-counter supplements as adjunct treatments and the influence of public health safety measures on influenza rates during the pandemic. ⋯ A CERA study describes how departments of family medicine are tackling the challenge of training tomorrow's family physicians in point-of care-ultrasound. Physician workforce studies examine pay inequities and burnout. An impressive number other commonly encountered issues in family medicine are addressed using a wide variety of methods and data sources.
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic initiated the implementation of numerous disease mitigation strategies aimed to prevent transmission of the SARS-CoV-2. Given the similarity in mode of transmission, we posit that these strategies have also had a collateral benefit in minimizing the transmission of influenza during the 2020 to 2021 season in California. ⋯ Further study is recommended to determine which specific variables had greater impact on transmission of respiratory viruses, and therefore can be utilized to prevent future outbreaks of respiratory illness.
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A rising population of cancer survivors is accompanied by a shortage of oncologists for continuity of care. This study examined the physicians who provided most of the care for cancer survivors, along with written information provided to the survivors before transfer of care. ⋯ Regardless of their cancer type, two-thirds of survivors received most of their health care from primary care physicians. Collaborative community-based care within a shared decision-making framework is essential to prioritize and individualize patients' understandings and needs in this growing population.