The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice / American Board of Family Practice
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J Am Board Fam Pract · Nov 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyTemplate-guided versus undirected written medical documentation: a prospective, randomized trial in a family medicine residency clinic.
To compare a template-driven medical documentation system to undirected handwritten documentation and determine whether the template (1) decreases physician evaluation time, (2) increases gross billing, and (3) increases physician satisfaction with the documentation process. ⋯ The template medical documentation system compared with undirected written documentation produced a significantly higher bill for the visit, yielding no differences in evaluation time, and was overall positively received by the residents and faculty.
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Numerous individual characteristics have been found to be associated with rates of obtaining flu shots. This study creates a predictive model that assesses the relative impact of each of these factors on increasing rates of flu shots in a population. ⋯ The major predictor of getting a flu shot in future years is having received one in the current year (63% of predictive power). Six other behavior and demographic factors increase the predictive power modestly. Programs that target nonrecipients may increase the overall flu shot rates of a community.
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Many family physicians perform outpatient vasectomies in their office. Postvasectomy semen analysis (PVSA) is critical to establish the success of this sterilization procedure. We investigated the compliance rate of our patients with the PVSA over a 10-year period. ⋯ Compliance with instructions to men undergoing vasectomy to return for PVSA is low both from the perspective of this study, as well as other studies evaluated. Older men are more likely to return for PVSA.
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J Am Board Fam Pract · Nov 2004
Comparative StudyOvercoming obstacles to skin cancer examinations and prevention counseling for high-risk patients: results of a national survey of primary care physicians.
Primary care physicians are in a unique position to perform skin cancer examinations and provide prevention counseling, given that approximately 40% of office visits to physicians in the United States are to a family practitioner or internist. Compared with family or self-detection, physician detection is associated with an increased probability of detecting thinner melanomas. However, little research has attempted to identify the major obstacles to performing a skin cancer examination and recommending prevention practices. ⋯ Concerted public and professional education efforts must be made to provide resources that help physicians efficiently weave skin cancer examinations and prevention counseling into routine practice while also motivating high-risk patients to request full-body examinations and counseling.