Primary care
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This article describes the risk factors, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic approaches for venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes primarily deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, as well as VTE occurring at other sites. Outpatient management strategies are emphasized.
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Heart valve disease is often characterized by a prolonged asymptomatic period that lasts for years and presents primary care physicians with an opportunity to detect disease before irreversible heart failure or other cardiac complications develop. Acute valvular disease can masquerade as respiratory illness or present with nonspecific systemic symptoms, and an astute examination by a primary care physician can direct appropriate care. Therefore, an understanding of the common pathologies and presentations of valvular heart disease is critical. This review focuses on the 2 most common valve lesions, aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation, and provides an overview of other valve disease topics.
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Seventy-five percent of health care costs can be attributed to chronic diseases, making prevention and management imperative. Collaborative patient self-management in primary care is efficacious in reducing symptoms and increasing quality of life. ⋯ Self-management interventions rest on a foundation of 5 core actions: (1) activate motivation to change, (2) apply domain-specific information from education and self-monitoring, (3) develop skills, (4) acquire environmental resources, and (5) build social support. Several delivery vehicles are described and evaluated in terms of diffusion and cost-containment goals.
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After identifying many unlicensed Hispanic international medical graduates (IMGs) legally residing in southern California, University of California, Los Angeles developed an innovative program to prepare these sidelined physicians to enter family medicine residency programs and become licensed physicians. On completion of a 3-year family medicine residency-training program, these IMGs have an obligation to practice in a federally designated underserved community in the state for 2 to 3 years. As the US health care system moves from physician-centered practices to patient-focused teams, with primary care serving as the foundation for building patient-centered medical homes, attention to educating IMGs in these concepts is crucial.
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A variety of nonoperative interventions are available to treat back pain. Careful assessment, discussion, and planning need to be performed to individualize care to each patient. ⋯ Evidence is poor from randomized controlled trials regarding local injections, Botox, and coblation nucleoplasty; however, with a focused approach, the right treatment can be provided for the right patient. To be more effective in management of back pain, further high-grade randomized controlled trials on efficacy and safety are needed.