Patient expectations, doctors’ prescribing habits, and antimicrobial resistance

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Antibiotics: Patient Expectations and Doctors’ Prescribing Habits May Contribute to Antimicrobial Resistance Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections contributes to antibiotic resistance, making some bacterial infections difficult to treat. This often leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality. Still, many physicians report prescribing antibiotics at their patients’ request.…

Study examines connection between oral and general health in patients with diabetes

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Individuals with diabetes are at greater risk of developing oral health issues, like gum disease, yet care for these linked health issues are usually disconnected, split between primary care and dental care. A research team from the University of Amsterdam developed an intervention that provided primary care-based oral health information and dental referrals for patients…

Improving smoking cessation counseling and blood pressure quality metrics in primary care

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In order to make meaningful gains in cardiovascular disease care, primary care medical practices should adopt a set of care improvements specific to their practice size and type, according to a new study from the national primary care quality improvement initiative EvidenceNOW. High blood pressure and smoking are among the biggest risk factors associated with…

Multiple factors influence family physicians’ practice scope

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Although new family medicine graduates intend to provide a broader scope of practice than their senior counterparts, individual family physicians’ scope of practice has been decreasing, with fewer family physicians providing basic primary care services, such pediatric and prenatal care. Russell et al conducted a study to explore family medicine graduates’ attitudes and perspectives on…