Primary care
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Providing vaccines places a significant logistical and financial burden on an office but is important in providing care to patients. Start the process by finding a vaccine champion, choosing a primary and backup vaccine coordinator, and creating a team in the office to promote and administer vaccines. ⋯ Have backup processes in place to avoid preventable errors when administering vaccines. In addition, bill vaccine administration codes appropriately to collect the full reimbursement that is due.
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Development of SOGIE (sexual orientation and gender identity and expression) is not unique to minority populations, as all adolescents grapple with their sexuality and identity. Health care providers straddle the unique positions of authority figure and advocate and can help these young people establish behaviors that will allow them to flourish as adults. This article discusses the appropriate language to use while conducting a sexual history, summarizes the epidemiologic data on sexually transmitted infections, and reviews the screening and reporting guidelines set forth by the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Headache is a common episodic and chronic pain syndrome in adolescents. Evaluation of headaches in primary care requires a comprehensive assessment including lifestyle behaviors and physical examination, as well as an understanding of when to pursue appropriate testing. Primary headache disorders seen in adolescents include migraine and tension-type headache. Pharmacologic management for primary headache includes both acute and prophylactic treatment strategies.