Canadian family physician Médecin de famille canadien
-
To describe the demographic characteristics of patients who present to the emergency department (ED) for low-acuity issues and to explore their self-reported contact with other sources of primary health care before presenting to the ED. ⋯ Many patients do attempt to seek alternative care before presenting to the ED with low acuity issues. Most patients believe that the ED is the best place for them to receive care and are uncertain about using a primary care alternative. Further research is needed to explore barriers and motivators patients face in their decisions to seek care, as well as potential patient education methods to improve appropriate ED use.
-
Multicenter Study
Team-based comanagement of diabetes in rural primary care.
To explore clinical indicators among patients with diabetes in southern Alberta and assess changes over time, and to compare patients with diabetes attending a reference clinic (RC), which had adapted its service model to address the specific needs of the patient population, with patients with diabetes attending comparison clinics (CCs) in the same region. ⋯ This study describes a team-based comanagement organizational model and might provide useful commentary about organizational effectiveness in primary care. Although improvement in health outcomes cannot be directly attributed to any specific change in clinic organization, some statistically and likely clinically significant benefit was found associated with the service model of the RC in a relatively medically and socially challenged patient population and in a conservative evaluative design.
-
To provide a framework for primary care providers to approach developmental disabilities in both refugee and nonrefugee immigrant populations. ⋯ For refugees in particular, in light of the inequities they have faced before migration and during their migration trajectory, screening for developmental disabilities and intervening provides an opportunity to help achieve equitable outcomes for refugee children and optimize their health and well-being.