The Anatomy of American Football: Evidence from 7 Years of NFL Game Data.

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Konstantinos Pelechrinis

Full Text Available How much does a fumble affect the probability of winning an American football game? How balanced should your offense be in order to increase the probability of winning by 10%? These are questions for which the coaching staff of National Football League teams have a clear qualitative answer. Turnovers are costly; turn the ball over several times and you will certainly lose. Nevertheless, what does "several" mean? How "certain" is certainly? In this study, we collected play-by-play data from the past 7 NFL seasons, i.e., 2009-2015, and we build a descriptive model for the probability of winning a game. Despite the fact that our model incorporates simple box score statistics, such as total offensive yards, number of turnovers etc., its overall cross-validation accuracy is 84%. Furthermore, we combine this descriptive model with a statistical bootstrap module to build FPM (short for Football Prediction Matchup for predicting future match-ups. The contribution of FPM is pertinent to its simplicity and transparency, which however does not sacrifice the system's performance. In particular, our evaluations indicate that our prediction engine performs on par with the current state-of-the-art systems (e.g., ESPN's FPI and Microsoft's Cortana. The latter are typically proprietary but based on their components described publicly they are significantly more complicated than FPM. Moreover, their proprietary nature does not allow for a head-to-head comparison in terms of the core elements of the systems but it should be evident that the features incorporated in FPM are able to capture a large percentage of the observed variance in NFL games.

The NFL-TBS.40-63 anti-glioblastoma peptide disrupts microtubule and mitochondrial networks in the T98G glioma cell line.

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Romain Rivalin

Full Text Available Despite aggressive therapies, including combinations of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, glioblastoma remains a highly aggressive brain cancer with the worst prognosis of any central nervous system disease. We have previously identified a neurofilament-derived cell-penetrating peptide, NFL-TBS.40-63, that specifically enters by endocytosis in glioblastoma cells, where it induces microtubule destruction and inhibits cell proliferation. Here, we explore the impact of NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide on the mitochondrial network and its functions by using global cell respiration, quantitative PCR analysis of the main actors directing mitochondrial biogenesis, western blot analysis of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS subunits and confocal microscopy. We show that the internalized peptide disturbs mitochondrial and microtubule networks, interferes with mitochondrial dynamics and induces a rapid depletion of global cell respiration. This effect may be related to reduced expression of the NRF-1 transcription factor and of specific miRNAs, which may impact mitochondrial biogenesis, in regard to default mitochondrial mobility.

US Approaches to Physician Payment: The Deconstruction of Primary Care

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Berenson, Robert A.; Rich, Eugene C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to address why the three dominant alternatives to compensating physicians (fee-for-service, capitation, and salary) fall short of what is needed to support enhanced primary care in the patient-centered medical home, and the relevance of such payment reforms as pay-for-performance and episodes/bundling. The review illustrates why prevalent physician payment mechanisms in the US have failed to adequately support primary care and why innovative approaches to primary ...

Evaluating a physician leadership development program - a mixed methods approach.

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Throgmorton, Cheryl; Mitchell, Trey; Morley, Tom; Snyder, Marijo

2016-05-16

Purpose - With the extent of change in healthcare today, organizations need strong physician leaders. To compensate for the lack of physician leadership education, many organizations are sending physicians to external leadership programs or developing in-house leadership programs targeted specifically to physicians. The purpose of this paper is to outline the evaluation strategy and outcomes of the inaugural year of a Physician Leadership Academy (PLA) developed and implemented at a Michigan-based regional healthcare system. Design/methodology/approach - The authors applied the theoretical framework of Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation and used surveys, observations, activity tracking, and interviews to evaluate the program outcomes. The authors applied grounded theory techniques to the interview data. Findings - The program met targeted outcomes across all four levels of evaluation. Interview themes focused on the significance of increasing self-awareness, building relationships, applying new skills, and building confidence. Research limitations/implications - While only one example, this study illustrates the importance of developing the evaluation strategy as part of the program design. Qualitative research methods, often lacking from learning evaluation design, uncover rich themes of impact. The study supports how a PLA program can enhance physician learning, engagement, and relationship building throughout and after the program. Physician leaders' partnership with organization development and learning professionals yield results with impact to individuals, groups, and the organization. Originality/value - Few studies provide an in-depth review of evaluation methods and outcomes of physician leadership development programs. Healthcare organizations seeking to develop similar in-house programs may benefit applying the evaluation strategy outlined in this study.

NFL Films music scoring stage and control room space

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Berger, Russ; Schrag, Richard C.; Ridings, Jason J.

2003-04-01

NFL Films' new 200,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters is home to an orchestral scoring stage used to record custom music scores to support and enhance their video productions. Part of the 90,000 sq. ft. of sound critical technical space, the music scoring stage and its associated control room are at the heart of the audio facilities. Driving the design were the owner's mandate for natural light, wood textures, and an acoustical environment that would support small rhythm sections, soloists, and a full orchestra. Being an industry leader in cutting-edge video and audio formats, the NFLF required that the technical spaces allow the latest in technology to be continually integrated into the infrastructure. Never was it more important for a project to hold true to the adage of ``designing from the inside out.'' Each audio and video space within the facility had to stand on its own with regard to user functionality, acoustical accuracy, sound isolation, noise control, and monitor presentation. A detailed look at the architectural and acoustical design challenges encountered and the solutions developed for the performance studio and the associated control room space will be discussed.

Physicians' perceptions of and approaches to woman abuse. Does certification in family medicine make a difference?

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Tudiver, F.; Permaul-Woods, J. A.

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To discover whether family physicians who go through residency training and The College of Family Physicians of Canada's (CFPC) certification process are more responsive than other physicians to woman abuse, whether they perceive and approach such abuse more appropriately, and whether they seek out more education on the subject. DESIGN: A national survey using a pretested 43-item mailed questionnaire to examine perceptions of and approaches to detection and management of woman abus...

Physician behavioral adaptability: A model to outstrip a "one size fits all" approach.

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Carrard, Valérie; Schmid Mast, Marianne

2015-10-01

Based on a literature review, we propose a model of physician behavioral adaptability (PBA) with the goal of inspiring new research. PBA means that the physician adapts his or her behavior according to patients' different preferences. The PBA model shows how physicians infer patients' preferences and adapt their interaction behavior from one patient to the other. We claim that patients will benefit from better outcomes if their physicians show behavioral adaptability rather than a "one size fits all" approach. This literature review is based on a literature search of the PsycINFO(®) and MEDLINE(®) databases. The literature review and first results stemming from the authors' research support the validity and viability of parts of the PBA model. There is evidence suggesting that physicians are able to show behavioral flexibility when interacting with their different patients, that a match between patients' preferences and physician behavior is related to better consultation outcomes, and that physician behavioral adaptability is related to better consultation outcomes. Training of physicians' behavioral flexibility and their ability to infer patients' preferences can facilitate physician behavioral adaptability and positive patient outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

US approaches to physician payment: the deconstruction of primary care.

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Berenson, Robert A; Rich, Eugene C

2010-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to address why the three dominant alternatives to compensating physicians (fee-for-service, capitation, and salary) fall short of what is needed to support enhanced primary care in the patient-centered medical home, and the relevance of such payment reforms as pay-for-performance and episodes/bundling. The review illustrates why prevalent physician payment mechanisms in the US have failed to adequately support primary care and why innovative approaches to primary care payment play such a prominent role in the PCMH discussion. FFS payment for office visits has never effectively rewarded all the activities that comprise prototypical primary care and may contribute to the "hamster on a treadmill" problems in current medical practice. Capitation payments are associated with risk adjustment challenges and, perhaps, public perceptions of conflict with patients' best interests. Most payers don't employ and therefore cannot generally place physicians on salary; while in theory such salary payments might neutralize incentives, operationally, "time is money;" extra effort devoted to meeting the needs of a more complex patient will likely reduce the services available to others. Fee-for-service, the predominant physician payment scheme, has contributed to both the continuing decline in the primary care workforce and the capability to serve patients well. Yet, the conceptual alternative payment approaches, modified fee-for-service (including fee bundles), capitation, and salary, each have their own problems. Accordingly, new payment models will likely be required to support restoration of primary care to its proper role in the US health care system, and to promote and sustain the development of patient-centered medical homes.

Forecasting the global shortage of physicians: an economic- and needs-based approach

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Liu, Jenny X; Kinfu, Yohannes; Dal Poz, Mario R

2008-01-01

Abstract Objective Global achievements in health may be limited by critical shortages of health-care workers. To help guide workforce policy, we estimate the future demand for, need for and supply of physicians, by WHO region, to determine where likely shortages will occur by 2015, the target date of the Millennium Development Goals. Methods Using World Bank and WHO data on physicians per capita from 1980 to 2001 for 158 countries, we employ two modelling approaches for estimating the future global requirement for physicians. A needs-based model determines the number of physicians per capita required to achieve 80% coverage of live births by a skilled health-care attendant. In contrast, our economic model identifies the number of physicians per capita that are likely to be demanded, given each country’s economic growth. These estimates are compared to the future supply of physicians projected by extrapolating the historical rate of increase in physicians per capita for each country. Findings By 2015, the global supply of physicians appears to be in balance with projected economic demand. Because our measure of need reflects the minimum level of workforce density required to provide a basic health service that is met in all but the least developed countries, the needs-based estimates predict a global surplus of physicians. However, on a regional basis, both models predict shortages for many countries in the WHO African Region in 2015, with some countries experiencing a needs-based shortage, a demand-based shortage, or both. Conclusion The type of policy intervention needed to alleviate projected shortages, such as increasing health-care training or adopting measures to discourage migration, depends on the type of shortage projected. PMID:18670663

The specialist physician's approach to rheumatoid arthritis in South Africa.

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Bester, Frederik C J; Bosch, Fredricka J; van Rensburg, Barend J Jansen

2016-03-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is expected to increase in Africa and South Africa. Due to the low numbers of rheumatologists in South Africa, specialist physicians also have to care for patients with RA. Furthermore several new developments have taken place in recent years which improved the management and outcome of RA. Classification criteria were updated, assessment follow-up tools were refined and above all, several new biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were developed. Therefore it is imperative for specialist physicians to update themselves with the newest developments in the management of RA. This article provides an overview of the newest developments in the management of RA in the South African context. This approach may well apply to countries with similar specialist to patient ratios and disease profiles.

Training Physicians toward a Dignifying Approach in Adolescents' Health Care: A Promising Simulation-Based Medical Education Program.

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Hardoff, Daniel; Gefen, Assaf; Sagi, Doron; Ziv, Amitai

2016-08-01

Human dignity has a pivotal role within the health care system. There is little experience using simulation-based medical education (SBME) programs that focus on human dignity issues in doctor-patient relationships. To describe and assess a SBME program aimed at improving physicians' competence in a dignifying approach when encountering adolescents and their parents. A total of 97 physicians participated in 8 one-day SMBE workshops that included 7 scenarios of typical adolescent health care dilemmas. These issues could be resolved if the physician used an appropriate dignifying approach toward the patient and the parents. Debriefing discussions were based on video recordings of the scenarios. The effect of the workshops on participants' approach to adolescent health care was assessed by a feedback questionnaire and on 5-point Likert score questionnaires administered before the workshop and 3 months after. All participants completed both the pre-workshop and the feedback questionnaires and 41 (42%) completed the post-workshop questionnaire 3 months later. Practice and competence topics received significantly higher scores in post-workshop questionnaires (P simulation-based workshop may improve physicians' communication skills and sense of competence in addressing adolescents' health care issues which require a dignifying approach toward both the adolescent patients and their parents. This dignity-focused methodology may be expanded to improve communication skills of physicians from various disciplines.

Development of physician leadership competencies: perceptions of physician leaders, physician educators and medical students.

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McKenna, Mindi K; Gartland, Myles P; Pugno, Perry A

2004-01-01

Research regarding the development of healthcare leadership competencies is widely available. However, minimal research has been published regarding the development of physician leadership competencies, despite growing recognition in recent years of the important need for effective physician leadership. Usingdata from an electronically distributed, self-administered survey, the authors examined the perceptions held by 110 physician leaders, physician educators, and medical students regarding the extent to which nine competencies are important for effective physician leadership, ten activities are indicative of physician leadership, and seven methods are effective for the development of physician leadership competencies. Results indicated that "interpersonal and communication skills" and "professional ethics and social responsibility" are perceived as the most important competencies for effective physician leadership. Furthermore, respondents believe "influencing peers to adopt new approaches in medicine" and "administrative responsibility in a healthcare organization" are the activities most indicative of effective physician leadership. Finally, respondents perceive"coaching or mentoring from an experienced leader" and "on-job experience (e.g., a management position)" as the most effective methods for developing physician leadership competencies. The implications of these findings for the education and development of physician leaders are discussed.

Effect of position, time in the season, and playing surface on Achilles tendon ruptures in NFL games: a 2009-10 to 2016-17 review.

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Krill, Michael K; Borchers, James R; Hoffman, Joshua T; Krill, Matthew L; Hewett, Timothy E

2017-09-01

Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures are a potentially career-altering and ending injury. Achilles tendon ruptures have a below average return-to-play rate compared to other common orthopaedic procedures for National Football League (NFL) players. The objective of this study was to monitor the incidence and injury rates (IR) of AT ruptures that occurred during the regular season in order to evaluate the influence of player position, time of injury, and playing surface on rupture rates. A thorough online review was completed to identify published injury reports and public information regarding AT ruptures sustained during regular season and post-season games in the National Football League (NFL) during the 2009-10 to 2016-17 seasons. Team schedules, player position details and stadium information was used to determine period of the season of injury and playing surface. IRs were calculated per 100 team games (TG). Injury rate ratios (IRR) were utilized to compare IRs. During eight monitored seasons, there were 44 AT ruptures in NFL games. A majority of AT ruptures were sustained in the first eight games of the regular season (n = 32, 72.7%). There was a significant rate difference for the first and second four-game segments of the regular season compared to the last two four-game segments of the regular season. Defensive players suffered a majority of AT ruptures (n = 32, 72.7%). The IR on grass was 1.00 per 100 TG compared to 1.08 per 100 TG on artificial turf (IRR: 0.93, p = .80). A significant increase in AT ruptures occurred in the first and second four game segments of the regular season compared to the last two-four game segments of the regular season. Defensive players suffered a majority of AT ruptures compared to offensive or specialist players. There was no difference between AT rupture rates and playing surface in games.

Physician Approaches to Conflict with Families Surrounding End-of-Life Decision-making in the Intensive Care Unit. A Qualitative Study.

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Mehter, Hashim M; McCannon, Jessica B; Clark, Jack A; Wiener, Renda Soylemez

2018-02-01

Families of critically ill patients are often asked to make difficult decisions to pursue, withhold, or withdraw aggressive care or resuscitative measures, exercising "substituted judgment" from the imagined standpoint of the patient. Conflict may arise between intensive care unit (ICU) physicians and family members regarding the optimal course of care. To characterize how ICU physicians approach and manage conflict with surrogates regarding end-of-life decision-making. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 critical care physicians from four academically affiliated hospitals. Interview transcripts were analyzed using methods of grounded theory. Physicians described strategies for engaging families to resolve conflict about end-of-life decision-making and tending to families' emotional health. Physicians commonly began by gauging family receptiveness to recommendations from the healthcare team. When faced with resistance to recommendations for less aggressive care, approaches ranged from deference to family wishes to various persuasive strategies designed to change families' minds, and some of those strategies may be counterproductive or harmful. The likelihood of deferring to family in the event of conflict was associated with the perceived sincerity of the family's "substituted judgment" and the ability to control patient pain and suffering. Physicians reported concern for the family's emotional needs and made efforts to alleviate the burden on families by assuming decision-making responsibility and expressing nonabandonment and commitment to the patient. Physicians were attentive to repairing damage to their relationship with the family in the aftermath of conflict. Finally, physicians described their own emotional responses to conflict, ranging from frustration and anxiety to satisfaction with successful resolution of conflict. Critical care physicians described a complex and multilayered approach to physician-family conflict. The reported strategies

African migrant patients' trust in Chinese physicians: a social ecological approach to understanding patient-physician trust.

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McLaughlin, Megan M; Simonson, Louis; Zou, Xia; Ling, Li; Tucker, Joseph D

2015-01-01

Patient trust in physicians is a critical determinant of health seeking behaviors, medication adherence, and health outcomes. A crisis of interpersonal trust exists in China, extending throughout multiple social spheres, including the healthcare system. At the same time, with increased migration from Africa to China in the last two decades, Chinese physicians must establish mutual trust with an increasingly diverse patient population. We undertook a qualitative study to identify factors affecting African migrants' trust in Chinese physicians and to identify potential mechanisms for promoting trust. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 40 African migrants in Guangzhou, China. A modified version of the social ecological model was used as a theoretical framework. At the patient-physician level, interpersonal treatment, technical competence, perceived commitment and motive, and language concordance were associated with enhanced trust. At the health system level, two primary factors influenced African migrants' trust in their physicians: the fee-for-service payment system and lack of continuity with any one physician. Patients' social networks and the broader socio-cultural context of interactions between African migrants and Chinese locals also influenced patients' trust of their physicians. These findings demonstrate the importance of factors beyond the immediate patient-physician interaction and suggest opportunities to promote trust through health system interventions.

African migrant patients' trust in Chinese physicians: a social ecological approach to understanding patient-physician trust.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan M McLaughlin

Full Text Available Patient trust in physicians is a critical determinant of health seeking behaviors, medication adherence, and health outcomes. A crisis of interpersonal trust exists in China, extending throughout multiple social spheres, including the healthcare system. At the same time, with increased migration from Africa to China in the last two decades, Chinese physicians must establish mutual trust with an increasingly diverse patient population. We undertook a qualitative study to identify factors affecting African migrants' trust in Chinese physicians and to identify potential mechanisms for promoting trust.We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 40 African migrants in Guangzhou, China. A modified version of the social ecological model was used as a theoretical framework. At the patient-physician level, interpersonal treatment, technical competence, perceived commitment and motive, and language concordance were associated with enhanced trust. At the health system level, two primary factors influenced African migrants' trust in their physicians: the fee-for-service payment system and lack of continuity with any one physician. Patients' social networks and the broader socio-cultural context of interactions between African migrants and Chinese locals also influenced patients' trust of their physicians.These findings demonstrate the importance of factors beyond the immediate patient-physician interaction and suggest opportunities to promote trust through health system interventions.

[Approaches to medical training among physicians who teach; analysis of two different educational strategies].

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Loría-Castellanos, Jorge; Rivera-lbarra, Doris Beatriz; Márquez-Avila, Guadalupe

2009-01-01

Compare the outreach of a promotional educational strategy that focuses on active participation and compare it with a more traditional approach to medical training. A quasi-experimental design was approved by the research committee. We compared the outreach of two different approaches to medical training. We administered a validated instrument that included 72 items that analyze statements used to measure educational tasks in the form of duplets through 3 indicators. A group that included seven physicians that were actively participating in teaching activities was stratified according to teaching approaches. One of the approaches was a traditional one and the other included a promotional strategy aimed at increasing participation. All participants signed informed consent before answering the research instruments. Statistical analysis was done using non-parametric tests. Mann-Whitney results did not show differences among the group in the preliminary analysis. A second analysis with the same test after the interventions found significant differences (p d" 0.018) in favor of those subjects that had participated in the promotional approach mainly in the indicator measuring "consequence". The Wilcoxon test showed that all participants in the promotional approach increased significantly (pd" 0.018) in 3 main indicators as compared with the control group. A promotional strategy aimed at increasing physician participation constitutes a more profitable approach when compared with traditional teaching methods.

An automated approach for early detection of diabetic retinopathy using SD-OCT images.

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ElTanboly, Ahmed H; Palacio, Agustina; Shalaby, Ahmed M; Switala, Andrew E; Helmy, Omar; Schaal, Shlomit; El-Baz, Ayman

2018-01-01

  This study was to demonstrate the feasibility of an automatic approach for early detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) from SD-OCT images. These scans were prospectively collected from 200 subjects through the fovea then were automatically segmented, into 12 layers. Each layer was characterized by its thickness, tortuosity, and normalized reflectivity. 26 diabetic patients, without DR changes visible by funduscopic examination, were matched with 26 controls, according to age and sex, for purposes of statistical analysis using mixed effects ANOVA. The INL was narrower in diabetes (p = 0.14), while the NFL (p = 0.04) and IZ (p = 0.34) were thicker. Tortuosity of layers NFL through the OPL was greater in diabetes (all p diabetes. In turn, carries the promise to a reliable non-invasive diagnostic tool for early detection of DR.

Approaches of Physicians for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Thromboembolism: A Questionnaire Study

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Ceyda Anar

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: We aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE in our country. Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 28 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with PTE and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed. Results: The examinations used to diagnose PTE such as D-dimer, troponin, echocardiographic Doppler ultrasonography and multidetector computed tomography (CT have been performed in 94% of the institutions, ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy, MRI and pulmonary angiography examinations were performed in 50% of the instututions. While D-dimer test was performed in 73.2% of the institutions by quantitative ELISA; in 15.7% of them it was semiquantitative and in 11.6% of the instutitions it was performed by latex agglutination. 81% of physicians were seen to be using clinical probability scoring systems and most commonly used scoring method was seen to be Wells scoring with a rate of 90%. According to the simplified PESI score, 61.5% of the physicians reported to prefer outpatient treatment. In non-massive and submassive pulmonary thromboemboli patients, 86.2% of the physicians reported to prefer thr low molecular weight heparin (LMWH treatment; vitamin K antagonist in maintenance treatment was also the most commonly resorted drug with a percentage of 84.9. Conclusion: The absence of the examinations used in the diagnosis and treatment of PTE in most institutions and difficulty to reach the available examinations at all hours of the day were significant facts. Especially; lack of access to high-sensitivity D-dimer test, bedside echocardiography used to assess right ventricular dysfunction, troponin and NT-proBNP makes us think about low

Does the physician's emotional intelligence matter? Impacts of the physician's emotional intelligence on the trust, patient-physician relationship, and satisfaction.

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Weng, Hui-Ching

2008-01-01

Much of the literature pertinent to management indicates that service providers with high emotional intelligence (EI) receive higher customer satisfaction scores. Previous studies offer limited evidence regarding the impact of physician's EI on patient-physician relationship. Using a multilevel and multisource data approach, the current study aimed to build a model that demonstrated the impact of a physician's EI on the patient's trust and the patient-physician relationship. The survey sample included 983 outpatients and 39 physicians representing 11 specialties. Results of path analyses demonstrated that the ratio of patient's follow-up visits (p impact of patient's trust on patient's satisfaction was mediated by the patient-physician relationship at a significant level (p relationship had a significantly positive effect on patient's satisfaction (p relationship; however, mutual trust and professional respect between nurses and physicians play a critical role in reinforcing the patient-physician relationship to effect improvements in the provision of patient-centered care.

Perceptions of trust in physician-managers.

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Cregård, Anna; Eriksson, Nomie

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore the dual role of physician-managers through an examination of perceptions of trust and distrust in physician-managers. The healthcare sector needs physicians to lead. Physicians in part-time managerial positions who continue their medical practice are called part-time physician-managers. This paper explores this dual role through an examination of perceptions of trust and distrust in physician-managers. The study takes a qualitative research approach in which interviews and focus group discussions with physician-managers and nurse-managers provide the empirical data. An analytical model, with the three elements of ability, benevolence and integrity, was used in the analysis of trust and distrust in physician-managers. The respondents (physician-managers and nurse-managers) perceived both an increase and a decrease in physicians' trust in the physician-managers. Because elements of distrust were more numerous and more severe than elements of trust, the physician-managers received negative perceptions of their role. This paper's findings are based on perceptions of perceptions. The physicians were not interviewed on their trust and distrust of physician-managers. The healthcare sector must pay attention to the diverse expectations of the physician-manager role that is based on both managerial and medical logics. Hospital management should provide proper support to physician-managers in their dual role to ensure their willingness to continue to assume managerial responsibilities. The paper takes an original approach in its research into the dual role of physician-managers who work under two conflicting logics: the medical logic and the managerial logic. The focus on perceived trust and distrust in physician-managers is a new perspective on this complicated role.

Physician participation in clinical research and trials: issues and approaches

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Sami F Shaban

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Sayeeda Rahman1, Md Anwarul Azim Majumder1, Sami F Shaban2, Nuzhat Rahman3, Moslehuddin Ahmed4, Khalid Bin Abdulrahman5, Urban JA D’Souza61Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, Bradford, UK; 2Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates; 3Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 4Department of Community Medicine, Uttara Adhunik Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh; 5Department of Family Medicine and Medical Education, College of Medicine, Al-Imam University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Post Graduate Studies, School of Medicine, University Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MalaysiaAbstract: The rapid development of new drugs, therapies, and devices has created a dramatic increase in the number of clinical research studies that highlights the need for greater participation in research by physicians as well as patients. Furthermore, the potential of clinical research is unlikely to be reached without greater participation of physicians in research. Physicians face a variety of barriers with regard to participation in clinical research. These barriers are system- or organization-related as well as research- and physician-related. To encourage physician participation, appropriate organizational and operational infrastructures are needed in health care institutes to support research planning and management. All physicians should receive education and training in the fundamentals of research design and methodology, which need to be incorporated into undergraduate medical education and postgraduate training curricula and then reinforced through continuing medical education. Medical schools need to analyze current practices of teaching–learning and research, and reflect upon possible changes needed to develop a ‘student-focused teaching–learning and

Helicobacter pylori infection: approach of primary care physicians in a developing country

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Ali Shah Hasnain

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and practices of primary care physicians in diagnosis and management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori infection in developing country. Methods This convenient sample based, cross sectional study was conducted in primary care physicians of Karachi, Pakistan from March 2008 to August 2008 through a pretested self-designed questionnaire, which contained 11 items pertaining to H. pylori route of transmission, diagnosis, indication for testing, treatment options, follow up and source of information. Results Out of 509 primary care physicians, 451 consented to participate with the response rate of 88.6%. Responses of 426 primary care physicians were analyzed after excluding 19 physicians. 78% of the physicians thought that contaminated water was the source of spread of infection, dyspepsia was the most frequent indication for investigating H. pylori infection (67% of the physicians, while 43% physicians were of the view that serology was the most appropriate test to diagnose active H. pylori infection. 77% of physicians thought that gastric ulcer was the most compelling indication for treatment, 61% physicians preferred Clarithromycin based triple therapy for 7–14 days. 57% of the physicians would confirm H. pylori eradication after treatment in selected patients and 47% physicians preferred serological testing for follow-up. In case of treatment failure, only 36% of the physicians were in favor of gastroenterologist referral. Conclusion The primary care physicians in this study lacked in knowledge regarding management of H. pylori infection. Internationally published guidelines and World gastroenterology organization (WGO practice guideline on H. pylori for developing countries have little impact on current practices of primary care physicians. We recommend more teaching programs, continuous medical education activities regarding H. pylori infection.

Physician performance feedback in a Canadian academic center.

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Garvin, Dennis; Worthington, James; McGuire, Shaun; Burgetz, Stephanie; Forster, Alan J; Patey, Andrea; Gerin-Lajoie, Caroline; Turnbull, Jeffrey; Roth, Virginia

2017-10-02

Purpose This paper aims at the implementation and early evaluation of a comprehensive, formative annual physician performance feedback process in a large academic health-care organization. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods approach was used to introduce a formative feedback process to provide physicians with comprehensive feedback on performance and to support professional development. This initiative responded to organization-wide engagement surveys through which physicians identified effective performance feedback as a priority. In 2013, physicians primarily affiliated with the organization participated in a performance feedback process, and physician satisfaction and participant perceptions were explored through participant survey responses and physician leader focus groups. Training was required for physician leaders prior to conducting performance feedback discussions. Findings This process was completed by 98 per cent of eligible physicians, and 30 per cent completed an evaluation survey. While physicians endorsed the concept of a formative feedback process, process improvement opportunities were identified. Qualitative analysis revealed the following process improvement themes: simplify the tool, ensure leaders follow process, eliminate redundancies in data collection (through academic or licensing requirements) and provide objective quality metrics. Following physician leader training on performance feedback, 98 per cent of leaders who completed an evaluation questionnaire agreed or strongly agreed that the performance feedback process was useful and that training objectives were met. Originality/value This paper introduces a physician performance feedback model, leadership training approach and first-year implementation outcomes. The results of this study will be useful to health administrators and physician leaders interested in implementing physician performance feedback or improving physician engagement.

Validation of the Physician-Pharmacist Collaborative Index for physicians in Malaysia.

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Sellappans, Renukha; Ng, Chirk Jenn; Lai, Pauline Siew Mei

2015-12-01

Establishing a collaborative working relationship between doctors and pharmacists is essential for the effective provision of pharmaceutical care. The Physician-Pharmacist Collaborative Index (PPCI) was developed to assess the professional exchanges between doctors and pharmacists. Two versions of the PPCI was developed: one for physicians and one for pharmacists. However, these instruments have not been validated in Malaysia. To determine the validity and reliability of the PPCI for physicians in Malaysia. An urban tertiary hospital in Malaysia. This prospective study was conducted from June to August 2014. Doctors were grouped as either a "collaborator" or a "non-collaborator". Collaborators were doctors who regularly worked with one particular clinical pharmacist in their ward, while non-collaborators were doctors who interacted with any random pharmacist who answered the general pharmacy telephone line whenever they required assistance on medication-related enquiries, as they did not have a clinical pharmacist in their ward. Collaborators were firstly identified by the clinical pharmacist he/she worked with, then invited to participate in this study through email, as it was difficult to locate and approach them personally. Non-collaborators were sampled conveniently by approaching them in person as these doctors could be easily sampled from any wards without a clinical pharmacist. The PPCI for physicians was administered at baseline and 2 weeks later. Validity (face validity, factor analysis and discriminative validity) and reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) of the PPCI for physicians. A total of 116 doctors (18 collaborators and 98 non-collaborators) were recruited. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the PPCI for physicians was a 3-factor model. The correlation of the mean domain scores ranged from 0.711 to 0.787. "Collaborators" had significantly higher scores compared to "non-collaborators" (81.4 ± 10.1 vs. 69.3 ± 12.1, p Malaysia.

First and foremost, physicians: the clinical versus leadership identities of physician leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Joann Farrell; Perelli, Sheri

2016-06-20

Purpose - Physicians are commonly promoted into administrative and managerial roles in US hospitals on the basis of clinical expertise and often lack the skills, training or inclination to lead. Several studies have sought to identify factors associated with effective physician leadership, yet we know little about how physician leaders themselves construe their roles. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - Phenomenological interviews were performed with 25 physicians at three organizational levels with physicians affiliated or employed by four hospitals within one health care organization in the USA between August and September 2010. A rigorous comparative methodology of data collection and analysis was employed, including the construction of analytic codes for the data and its categorization based on emergent ideas and themes that are not preconceived and logically deduced hypotheses, which is characteristic of grounded theory. Findings - These interviews reveal differences in how part- vs full-time physician leaders understand and value leadership roles vs clinical roles, claim leadership status, and identify as physician leaders on individual, relational and organizational basis. Research limitations/implications - Although the physicians in the sample were affiliated with four community hospitals, all of them were part of a single not-for-profit health care system in one geographical locale. Practical implications - These findings may be of interest to hospital administrators and boards seeking deeper commitment and higher performance from physician leaders, as well as assist physicians in transitioning into a leadership role. Social implications - This work points to a broader and more fundamental need - a modified mindset about the nature and value of physician leadership. Originality/value - This study is unique in the exploration of the nature of physician leadership from the perspective of the physician on an individual, peer

Family physician perceptions of working with LGBTQ patients: physician training needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Beagan, Brenda; Fredericks, Erin; Bryson, Mary

2015-01-01

Medical students and physicians report feeling under-prepared for working with patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ). Understanding physician perceptions of this area of practice may aid in developing improved education. In-depth interviews with 24 general practice physicians in Halifax and Vancouver, Canada, were used to explore whether, when and how the gender identity and sexual orientation of LGBTQ women were relevant to good care. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti data analysis software. Three major themes emerged: 1) Some physicians perceived that sexual/gender identity makes little or no difference; treating every patient as an individual while avoiding labels optimises care for everyone. 2) Some physicians perceived sexual/gender identity matters primarily for the provision of holistic care, and in order to address the effects of discrimination. 3) Some physicians perceived that sexual/gender identity both matters and does not matter, as they strove to balance the implications of social group membership with recognition of individual differences. Physicians may be ignoring important aspects of social group memberships that affect health and health care. The authors hold that individual and socio-cultural differences are both important to the provision of quality health care. Distinct from stereotypes, generalisations about social group differences can provide valuable starting points, raising useful lines of inquiry. Emphasizing this distinction in medical education may help change physician approaches to the care of LGBTQ women.

Family physician perceptions of working with LGBTQ patients: physician training needs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brenda Beagan

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Medical students and physicians report feeling under-prepared for working with patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ. Understanding physician perceptions of this area of practice may aid in developing improved education. Method: In-depth interviews with 24 general practice physicians in Halifax and Vancouver, Canada, were used to explore whether, when and how the gender identity and sexual orientation of LGBTQ women were relevant to good care. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti data analysis software. Results: Three major themes emerged: 1 Some physicians perceived that sexual/gender identity makes little or no difference; treating every patient as an individual while avoiding labels optimises care for everyone. 2 Some physicians perceived sexual/gender identity matters primarily for the provision of holistic care, and in order to address the effects of discrimination. 3 Some physicians perceived that sexual/gender identity both matters and does not matter, as they strove to balance the implications of social group membership with recognition of individual differences. Conclusions: Physicians may be ignoring important aspects of social group memberships that affect health and health care. The authors hold that individual and socio-cultural differences are both important to the provision of quality health care. Distinct from stereotypes, generalisations about social group differences can provide valuable starting points, raising useful lines of inquiry. Emphasizing this distinction in medical education may help change physician approaches to the care of LGBTQ women.

Recapturing time: a practical approach to time management for physicians.

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Gordon, Craig E; Borkan, Steven C

2014-05-01

Increasing pressures on physicians demand effective time management and jeopardise professional satisfaction. Effective time management potentially increases productivity, promotes advancement, limits burnout and improves both professional and personal satisfaction. However, strategies for improving time management are lacking in the current medical literature. Adapting time management techniques from the medical and non-medical literature may improve physician time management habits. These techniques can be divided into four categories: (1) setting short and long-term goals; (2) setting priorities among competing responsibilities; (3) planning and organising activities; and (4) minimising 'time wasters'. Efforts to improve time management can increase physician productivity and enhance career satisfaction.

Projecting Thailand physician supplies between 2012 and 2030: application of cohort approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suphanchaimat Rapeepong

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study forecasts physician supply between 2012 and 2030 using cohort analysis, based on future production capacity and losses from the profession, and assesses if, and by when, the projected numbers of physicians would meet the targets of one doctor per 1,500 population, as proposed by the 7th National Conference on Medical Education in 2001, and one per 1,800, proposed by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH in 2004. Methods We estimated the annual loss rate that best reflected the dynamics of existing practising doctors, then applied this rate to the existing physicians, plus the newly licensed physicians flowing into the pool over the next two decades (from 2012 to 2030. Finally, the remaining practising physicians, after adjustment for losses, were verified against demand projections in order to identify supply gaps. Results Thailand has been experiencing an expansion in the total number of physicians, with an annual loss rate of 1%. Considering future plans for admission of medical students, the number of licensed physicians flowing into the pool should reach 2,592 per annum, and 2,661 per annum, by 2019 and 2030 respectively. By applying the 1% loss rate to the existing, and future newly licensed, physicians, there are forecast to be around 40,000 physicians in active clinical service by 2016, and in excess of 60,000 by 2028. Conclusion This supply forecast, given various assumptions, would meet the targets outlined above, of one doctor per 1,800 population, and one per 1,500 population, by 2016 and 2020 respectively. However, rapid changes in the contextual environment, e.g. economic demand, physician demographics, and disease burden, may mean that the annual loss rate of 1% used in this projection is not accurate in the future. To ensure population health needs are met, parallel policies on physician production encompassing both qualitative and quantitative aspects should be in place. Improved, up

Physicians' adoption of information technology: a consumer behavior approach.

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Eger, M S; Godkin, R L; Valentine, S R

2001-01-01

Studies report physician resistance to information technology in a time when the practice of medicine could benefit from technological support. Anecdotally, it is suspected that lack of training, discomfort with technological innovations, a perceived shift in the doctor/patient relationship, or medical/legal issues may account for this circumstance. Empirical studies attribute this lag to age, personality factors, behavioral issues, and occupational influences. This paper integrates the information technology and consumer behavior literatures to discuss physicians' acceptance, adoption, and application of IT.

Box-ticking and Olympic high jumping - Physicians' perceptions and acceptance of national physician validation systems.

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Sehlbach, Carolin; Govaerts, Marjan J B; Mitchell, Sharon; Rohde, Gernot G U; Smeenk, Frank W J M; Driessen, Erik W

2018-05-24

National physician validation systems aim to ensure lifelong learning through periodic appraisals of physicians' competence. Their effectiveness is determined by physicians' acceptance of and commitment to the system. This study, therefore, sought to explore physicians' perceptions and self-reported acceptance of validation across three different physician validation systems in Europe. Using a constructivist grounded-theory approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 32 respiratory specialists from three countries with markedly different validation systems: Germany, which has a mandatory, credit-based system oriented to continuing professional development; Denmark, with mandatory annual dialogs and ensuing, non-compulsory activities; and the UK, with a mandatory, portfolio-based revalidation system. We analyzed interview data with a view to identifying factors influencing physicians' perceptions and acceptance. Factors that influenced acceptance were the assessment's authenticity and alignment of its requirements with clinical practice, physicians' beliefs about learning, perceived autonomy, and organizational support. Users' acceptance levels determine any system's effectiveness. To support lifelong learning effectively, national physician validation systems must be carefully designed and integrated into daily practice. Involving physicians in their design may render systems more authentic and improve alignment between individual ambitions and the systems' goals, thereby promoting acceptance.

A Cross-Cultural Study on Behaviors When Death Is Approaching in East Asian Countries: What Are the Physician-Perceived Common Beliefs and Practices?

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Cheng, Shao-Yi; Suh, Sang-Yeon; Morita, Tatsuya; Oyama, Yasuhiro; Chiu, Tai-Yuan; Koh, Su Jin; Kim, Hyun Sook; Hwang, Shinn-Jang; Yoshie, Taeko; Tsuneto, Satoru

2015-09-01

The primary aim of this study was to explore common beliefs and practices when death is approaching in East-Asian countries. A cross-sectional survey was performed involving palliative care physicians in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Measurement outcomes were physician-perceived frequencies of the following when patient death was approaching: (1) reluctance to take part in end-of-life discussions, (2) role of family members, (3) home death, and (4) circumstances surrounding death. A total of 505, 211, and 207 responses were obtained from Japanese, Korea, and Taiwan physicians, respectively. While 50% of the Japanese physicians reported that they often or very often experienced families as being reluctant to discuss end-of-life issues, the corresponding figures were 59% in Korea and 70% in Taiwan. Two specific reasons to avoid end-of-life discussion, "bad things happen after you say them out loud" and "a bad life is better than a good death" were significantly more frequently observed in Taiwan. Prioritizing the oldest of the family in breaking bad news and having all family members present at the time of death were significantly more frequently observed in Korea and Taiwan. Half of Taiwanese physicians reported they often or very often experienced the patients/family wanted to go back home to die because the soul would not be able to return from the hospital. In all countries, more than 70% of the physicians reported certain family members were expected to care for the patient at home. At the time of death, while no Japanese physicians stated that they often experienced patients wanted a religious person to visit, the corresponding figure in Korean and Taiwan was about 40%. Uncovered expression of emotion was significantly frequently observed in Korean and Taiwan, and 42% of the Japanese physicians reported family members cleaned the dead body of the patient themselves. There seem to be significant intercountry differences in beliefs and practices when death is

Physician suicide.

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Preven, D W

1981-01-01

The topic of physician suicide has been viewed from several perspectives. The recent studies which suggest that the problem may be less dramatic statistically, do not lessen the emotional trauma that all experience when their lives are touched by the grim event. Keeping in mind that much remains to be learned about suicides in general, and physician suicide specifically, a few suggestions have been offered. As one approach to primary prevention, medical school curriculum should include programs that promote more self-awareness in doctors of their emotional needs. If the physician cannot heal himself, perhaps he can learn to recognize the need for assistance. Intervention (secondary prevention) requires that doctors have the capacity to believe that anyone, regardless of status, can be suicidal. Professional roles should not prevent colleague and friend from identifying prodromal clues. Finally, "postvention" (tertiary prevention) offers the survivors, be they family, colleagues or patients, the opportunity to deal with the searing loss in a therapeutic way.

Performance-Based Outcomes Following Lisfranc Injury Among Professional American Football and Rugby Athletes.

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Singh, Sameer K; George, Andrew; Kadakia, Anish R; Hsu, Wellington K

2018-04-27

Professional National Football League (NFL) and rugby athletes have high rates of Lisfranc injuries. Although favorable return-to-play rates have been previously reported, a thorough assessment of postinjury performance is lacking. Professional NFL and rugby athletes who sustained a Lisfranc injury were identified using a well-established protocol confirmed by multiple sources of the public record. Return-to-play rate and time to return were determined for each athlete. League participation and game performance were collected 1 season prior to injury and up to 3 seasons after injury. Statistical analysis was performed, with P≤.05 being significant. A total of 47 athletes (NFL=35, rugby=12) with Lisfranc injuries were identified, having 23 ligamentous injuries and 24 fractures. Thirty-five (75%) were treated operatively. Among NFL players, 29 (83%) returned to play, taking 10.0±2.9 months to do so. Overall, NFL players started fewer games 2 and 3 seasons following surgery (P=.002 and .035, respectively) and showed a significant decline in performance 1 season after return compared with preinjury levels (21%; P=.05). Offensive players had a significantly greater decline in statistical performance compared with defensive counterparts (P=.02). Although professional NFL athletes return to play at a high rate (83%) following Lisfranc injury, their league participation and performance is significantly decreased on return. Ligamentous and bony injuries have similar prognoses; however, offensive players show greater declines in performance compared with defensive players. To best guide therapy, players, coaches, and team physicians should be aware of the impact of Lisfranc injuries on career performance and longevity. [Orthopedics. 201x; xx(x):xx-xx.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Patient-physician communication regarding electronic cigarettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Michael B; Giovenco, Daniel P; Delnevo, Cristine D

2015-01-01

Smokers are likely asking their physicians about the safety of e-cigarettes and their potential role as a cessation tool; however, the research literature on this communication is scant. A pilot study of physicians in the United States was conducted to investigate physician-patient communication regarding e-cigarettes. A total of 158 physicians were recruited from a direct marketing e-mail list and completed a short, web-based survey between January and April 2014. The survey addressed demographics, physician specialty, patient-provider e-cigarette communication, and attitudes towards tobacco harm reduction. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of physicians reported being asked about e-cigarettes by their patients, and almost a third (30%) reported that they have recommended e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool. Male physicians were significantly more likely to endorse a harm reduction approach. Physician communication about e-cigarettes may shape patients' perceptions about the products. More research is needed to explore the type of information that physicians share with their patients regarding e-cigarettes and harm reduction.

Physician Communication to Enhance Patient Acupuncture Engagement in Family Medicine.

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Fisher, Carla L; Ledford, Christy J W; Moss, David A; Crawford, Paul

2018-04-09

Integrating complementary therapies (acupuncture) into conventional medicine has garnered recent support. Given the health benefits, low cost, and minimal risks, the military has advocated for acupuncture and begun training family medicine physicians. Little is known about the role of physician communication in patients' acupuncture engagement (uptake and adherence) in conventional medicine settings. We interviewed physicians (N = 15) and patients (N = 17) to capture physician communication they perceived affected treatment engagement. Data for each group were thematically analyzed. Physicians and patients prioritized different communication approaches and associated strategies. Physicians identified four approaches that enhance treatment engagement: (1) using shared decision-making (e.g., treatment options); (2) not being pushy (e.g., in tone); (3) carefully choosing language (e.g., Eastern versus Western terms); and (4) explaining treatment outcomes (e.g., efficacy). Patients also prioritized explaining treatment outcomes but differently (e.g., timing clarity), with two additional approaches: (5) talking with the same physician (e.g., continuity) and (6) being responsive to patient (e.g., flexibility). Findings highlight how physicians and patients prioritize patient-centered communication differently and how it is embedded within a unique, complex therapy. Data showcase authentic narratives that could be translated into physician communication skills training to promote treatment engagement in integrative care.

Tauopathy PET and amyloid PET in the diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathies: studies of a retired NFL player and of a man with FTD and a severe head injury.

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Mitsis, E M; Riggio, S; Kostakoglu, L; Dickstein, D L; Machac, J; Delman, B; Goldstein, M; Jennings, D; D'Antonio, E; Martin, J; Naidich, T P; Aloysi, A; Fernandez, C; Seibyl, J; DeKosky, S T; Elder, G A; Marek, K; Gordon, W; Hof, P R; Sano, M; Gandy, S

2014-09-16

Single, severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) which elevates CNS amyloid, increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD); while repetitive concussive and subconcussive events as observed in athletes and military personnel, may increase the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). We describe two clinical cases, one with a history of multiple concussions during a career in the National Football League (NFL) and the second with frontotemporal dementia and a single, severe TBI. Both patients presented with cognitive decline and underwent [(18)F]-Florbetapir positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for amyloid plaques; the retired NFL player also underwent [(18)F]-T807 PET imaging, a new ligand binding to tau, the main constituent of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Case 1, the former NFL player, was 71 years old when he presented with memory impairment and a clinical profile highly similar to AD. [(18)F]-Florbetapir PET imaging was negative, essentially excluding AD as a diagnosis. CTE was suspected clinically, and [(18)F]-T807 PET imaging revealed striatal and nigral [(18)F]-T807 retention consistent with the presence of tauopathy. Case 2 was a 56-year-old man with personality changes and cognitive decline who had sustained a fall complicated by a subdural hematoma. At 1 year post injury, [(18)F]-Florbetapir PET imaging was negative for an AD pattern of amyloid accumulation in this subject. Focal [(18)F]-Florbetapir retention was noted at the site of impact. In case 1, amyloid imaging provided improved diagnostic accuracy where standard clinical and laboratory criteria were inadequate. In that same case, tau imaging with [(18)F]-T807 revealed a subcortical tauopathy that we interpret as a novel form of CTE with a distribution of tauopathy that mimics, to some extent, that of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), despite a clinical presentation of amnesia without any movement disorder complaints or signs. A key distinguishing feature is that our patient presented

HMO penetration and physicians' earnings.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadley, J; Mitchell, J M

1999-11-01

The goal of this study is to estimate whether cross-sectional variations in enrollment in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) affected physicians' earnings and hourly income in 1990. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 4,577 younger physicians (penetration is endogenous and used the instrumental variables approach to obtain unbiased estimates. HMO penetration had a negative and statistically significant impact on physicians earnings in 1990. A doubling of the average level of HMO penetration in the market is estimated to reduce annual earnings by 7% to 10.7%, and hourly earnings by approximately 6% to 9%. It appears that HMOs were successful in reducing physicians' annual and per hour earnings in 1990, presumably through a combination of fewer visits and lower payment rates for people covered by HMOs. Although these results cannot be generalized to all physicians, the experience of a younger cohort of physicians may still be a good indicator of the future effects of HMOs because younger physicians may be more susceptible to market forces than older and more established physicians. Moreover, these results may be somewhat conservative because they reflect market behavior in 1990, several years before the rapid growth and more aggressive market behavior of HMOs in recent years.

Physician shortages in rural Vietnam: using a labor market approach to inform policy.

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Vujicic, Marko; Shengelia, Bakhuti; Alfano, Marco; Thu, Ha Bui

2011-10-01

This paper investigates labor market dynamics for physicians in Vietnam, paying particular attention to geographic distribution and dual job holding. The analysis is based on a survey of a random sample of physicians in 3 regions in 2009-10. We found that the labor market for physicians in Vietnam is characterized by very little movement among both facility levels and geographic areas. Dual practice is also prominent, with over one-third of physicians holding a second job. After taking account of the various sources of income for physicians and controlling for key factors, there is a significant wage premium associated with locating in an urban area. This premium is driven by much higher earnings from dual job holding rather than official earnings in the primary job. There are important policy implications that emerge. With such low job turnover rates, policies to increase the number of physicians in rural areas could focus on initial recruitment. Once in place, physicians tend to remain in their jobs for a very long time. Lastly, findings from an innovative discrete choice experiment suggest that providing long-term education and improving equipment are the most effective instruments to recruit physicians to work in rural areas. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An effective utilization management strategy by dual approach of influencing physician ordering and gate keeping.

Science.gov (United States)

Elnenaei, Manal O; Campbell, Samuel G; Thoni, Andrea J; Lou, Amy; Crocker, Bryan D; Nassar, Bassam A

2016-02-01

There is increasing recognition of the importance of appropriate laboratory test utilization. We investigate the effect of a multifaceted educational approach that includes physician feedback on individual test ordering, in conjunction with targeted restriction, on the utilization of selected laboratory tests. Scientific evidence was compiled on the usefulness and limitations of tests suspected of being over utilized in our laboratories. A variety of approaches were used to deliver education on each of the targeted tests, with greater focus on primary care physicians (PCPs). Feedback on requesting behavior of these tests was also communicated to the latter group which included an educational component. Laboratory based restriction of testing was also exercised, including the unbundling of our electrolyte panel. PCP requesting patterns for the selected tests were found to be markedly skewed. The interventions implemented over the study period resulted in a substantial 51% reduction in overall ordering of five of the targeted tests equating to an annual marginal cost saving of $60,124. Unbundling of the electrolyte panel resulted in marginal cost savings that equated annually to $42,500 on chloride and $48,000 on total CO2. A multifaceted educational approach combined with feedback on utilization and laboratory driven gate-keeping significantly reduced the number of laboratory tests suspected of being redundant or unjustifiably requested. Laboratory professionals are well positioned to manage demand on laboratory tests by utilizing evidence base in developing specific test ordering directives and gate-keeping rules. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physicians' Perceptions on the usefulness of contextual information for prioritizing and presenting alerts in computerized physician order entry systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jung, Martin; Riedmann, Daniel; Hackl, Werner O.; Hoerbst, Alexander; Jaspers, Monique W.; Ferret, Laurie; Lawton, Kitta; Ammenwerth, Elske

2012-01-01

Background: One possible approach towards avoiding alert overload and alert fatigue in Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems is to tailor their drug safety alerts to the context of the clinical situation. Our objective was to identify the perceptions of physicians on the usefulness of

Possible reasons why female physicians publish fewer scientific articles than male physicians - a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fridner, Ann; Norell, Alexandra; Åkesson, Gertrud; Gustafsson Sendén, Marie; Tevik Løvseth, Lise; Schenck-Gustafsson, Karin

2015-04-02

The proportion of women in medicine is approaching that of men, but female physicians are still in the minority as regards positions of power. Female physicians are struggling to reach the highest positions in academic medicine. One reason for the disparities between the genders in academic medicine is the fact that female physicians, in comparison to their male colleagues, have a lower rate of scientific publishing, which is an important factor affecting promotion in academic medicine. Clinical physicians work in a stressful environment, and the extent to which they can control their work conditions varies. The aim of this paper was to examine potential impeding and supportive work factors affecting the frequency with which clinical physicians publish scientific papers on academic medicine. Cross-sectional multivariate analysis was performed among 198 female and 305 male Swedish MD/PhD graduates. The main outcome variable was the number of published scientific articles. Male physicians published significantly more articles than female physicians p articles, as was collaborating with a former PhD advisor for both female physicians (OR = 2.97; 95% CI 1.22-7.20) and male physicians (OR = 2.10; 95% CI 1.08-4.10). Control at work was significantly associated with a higher number of published articles for male physicians only (OR = 1.50; 95% CI 1.08-2.09). Exhaustion had a significant negative impact on number of published articles among female physicians (OR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.12-0.70) whilst the publishing rate among male physicians was not affected by exhaustion. Women physicians represent an expanding sector of the physician work force; it is essential that they are represented in future fields of research, and in academic publications. This is necessary from a gender perspective, and to ensure that physicians are among the research staff in biomedical research in the future.

The ties that bind: a reflection on physician grief.

Science.gov (United States)

Giddings, Gordon

2010-10-01

Physician grief remains a prevalent yet largely unacknowledged problem in the medical profession. Several techniques can be employed to improve coping in physicians that deal frequently with patients approaching the end of life that can be integrated into medical training programs and physician practices. The author recounts his own experience of physician grief having cared for a patient on his dying journey and using it as an opportunity for personal growth.

Fermentation art and science at the Nordic Food Lab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reade, Benedict; de Valicourt, Justine; Evans, Joshua David

2015-01-01

The Nordic Food Lab (NFL) is a self-governed foundation based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The aim of NFL is to investigate food diversity and deliciousness and to share the results in an open-source format. We combine scientific and cultural approaches with culinary techniques from around the world...

Is there a role for physician involvement in introducing research to surrogate decision makers in the intensive care unit? (The Approach trial: a pilot mixed methods study).

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, K E A; Rizvi, L; Smith, O M; Lee, Y; Lee, J; Wang, M; Brown, M; Parker, M; Premji, A; Leung, D; Hammond Mobilio, M; Gotlib-Conn, L; Nisenbaum, R; Santos, M; Li, Y; Mehta, S

2015-01-01

To assess the feasibility of conducting a randomized trial comparing two strategies [physician (MD) vs. non-physician (non-MD)] for approaching substitute decision makers (SDMs) for research and to evaluate SDMs' experiences in being approached for consent. A pilot mixed methods study of first encounters with SDMs. Of 137 SDMs (162 eligibility events), 67 and 70 were randomized to MD and non-MD introductions, respectively. Eighty SDMs (98 events) provided consent and 21 SDMs (24 events) declined consent for studies, including 2 SDMs who provided and declined consent. We identified few missed introductions [4/52 (7.7 %)] and protocol violations [6/117 (5.1 %)], high comfort, satisfaction and acceptance scores and similar consent rates in both arms. SDMs provided consent significantly more often when a patient update was provided in the MD arm. Most SDMs (85.7 %) felt that physician involvement was inconsequential and preferred physician time to be dedicated to patient care; however, SDM experiences were closely related to their recall of being approached and recall was poor. SDMs highlighted 7 themes of importance to them in research surrogate decision-making. SDMs prioritized the personal attributes of the person approaching them over professional designation and preferred physician time to be dedicated to patient care. A mixed methods design evaluated intervention fidelity and provided the rationale for not proceeding to a larger trial, despite achieving all feasibility metrics in the pilot trial. NCT01232621.

A Study of the Educationally Influential Physician.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufman, David M.; Ryan, Kurt; Hodder, Ian

1999-01-01

A survey of 172 family doctors found that they approached educationally influential (EI) physicians they knew through their hospitals; only 20% used e-mail and 40% the Internet for medical information; EI physicians helped extend their knowledge and validate innovations found in the literature; and health care reform was negatively affecting…

Women physicians as healthcare leaders: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Virginia R; Theriault, Anne; Clement, Chris; Worthington, Jim

2016-06-20

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the under-representation of women physicians in clinical leadership by examining the issue from their perspective. Design/methodology/approach - The authors used large group engagement methods to explore the experiences and perceptions of women physicians. In order to capture common themes across this group as a whole, participants were selected using purposeful sampling. Data were analysed using a structured thematic analysis procedure. Findings - This paper provides empirical insights into the influences affecting women physicians' decision to participate in leadership. The authors found that they often exclude themselves because the costs of leadership outweigh the benefits. Potential barriers unique to healthcare include the undervaluing of leadership by physician peers and perceived lack of support by nursing. Research limitations/implications - This study provides an in-depth examination of why women physicians are under-represented in clinical leadership from the perspective of those directly involved. Further studies are needed to confirm the generalizability of these findings and potential differences between demographic groups of physicians. Practical implications - Healthcare organizations seeking to increase the participation of women physicians in leadership should focus on modifying the perceived costs of leadership and highlighting the potential benefits. Large group engagement methods can be an effective approach to engage physicians on specific issues and mobilize grass-roots support for change. Originality/value - This exploratory study provides insights on the barriers and enablers to leadership specific to women physicians in the clinical setting. It provides a reference for healthcare organizations seeking to develop and diversify their leadership talent.

[Determinants in the careers of male and female physicians from the viewpoint of chief physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Buddeberg-Fischer, B; Spindler, A; Peter, Y; Buddeberg, C

2003-01-03

Chief physicians play an important role for physicians' careers by providing advanced training and allocating time and research resources. This study examined which characteristics will help physicians to achieve a leadership position and how chief physicians conduct career promotion. All 532 chief physicians in Switzerland's German speaking cantons with medical schools were approached with a questionnaire covering professional motivation and personal attributes of career-oriented physicians career-promoting personal and institutional factors, and type of career promotion. 207 chief physicians (189 men, 18 women; participation rate 38.9 %;) participated. Respondents rated achievement motivation combined with professional interest and job enjoyment (intrinsic), and interest in advancement and social prestige (extrinsic motivation) as beneficial. Extraprofessional concerns such as family obligations and leisure interests were viewed as less important. Instrumental attributes were rated as advantageous. Expressive qualities were also seen as beneficial but less crucial. Ratings were independent of respondents' age, specialty, or type of workplace. The following personal factors were named: professional commitment, professional and social competence, goal orientation, endurance, and strength of character. The institutional factors referred to quality of training and teaching, a good work atmosphere, a transparent and flexible clinic structure. Career promotion was offered predominantly in the form of coaching, career planning, and support in job search. Career promotion should be more targeted and structured, e. g. be conducted in mentoring programmes, thus providing the prerequisites for a truly equal career promotion of female and male physicians.

Senior academic physicians and retirement considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Moss, Arthur J; Greenberg, Henry; Dwyer, Edward M; Klein, Helmut; Ryan, Daniel; Francis, Charles; Marcus, Frank; Eberly, Shirley; Benhorin, Jesaia; Bodenheimer, Monty; Brown, Mary; Case, Robert; Gillespie, John; Goldstein, Robert; Haigney, Mark; Krone, Ronald; Lichstein, Edgar; Locati, Emanuela; Oakes, David; Thomsen, Poul Erik Bloch; Zareba, Wojciech

2013-01-01

An increasing number of academic senior physicians are approaching their potential retirement in good health with accumulated clinical and research experience that can be a valuable asset to an academic institution. Considering the need to let the next generation ascend to leadership roles, when and how should a medical career be brought to a close? We explore the roles for academic medical faculty as they move into their senior years and approach various retirement options. The individual and institutional considerations require a frank dialogue among the interested parties to optimize the benefits while minimizing the risks for both. In the United States there is no fixed age for retirement as there is in Europe, but European physicians are initiating changes. What is certain is that careful planning, innovative thinking, and the incorporation of new patterns of medical practice are all part of this complex transition and timing of senior academic physicians into retirement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Physician's Perspective On Vertical Integration.

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Berenson, Robert A

2017-09-01

Vertical integration has been a central feature of health care delivery system change for more than two decades. Recent studies have demonstrated that vertically integrated health care systems raise prices and costs without observable improvements in quality, despite many theoretical reasons why cost control and improved quality might occur. Less well studied is how physicians view their newfound partnerships with hospitals. In this article I review literature findings and other observations on five aspects of vertical integration that affect physicians in their professional and personal lives: patients' access to physicians, physician compensation, autonomy versus system support, medical professionalism and culture, and lifestyle. I conclude that the movement toward physicians' alignment with and employment in vertically integrated systems seems inexorable but that policy should not promote such integration either intentionally or inadvertently. Instead, policy should address the flaws in current payment approaches that reward high prices and excessive service use-outcomes that vertical integration currently produces. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Changing physician behavior: what works?

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Mostofian, Fargoi; Ruban, Cynthiya; Simunovic, Nicole; Bhandari, Mohit

2015-01-01

There are various interventions for guideline implementation in clinical practice, but the effects of these interventions are generally unclear. We conducted a systematic review to identify effective methods of implementing clinical research findings and clinical guidelines to change physician practice patterns, in surgical and general practice. Systematic review of reviews. We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed) for systematic reviews published in English that evaluated the effectiveness of different implementation methods. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility for inclusion and methodological quality, and extracted relevant data. Fourteen reviews covering a wide range of interventions were identified. The intervention methods used include: audit and feedback, computerized decision support systems, continuing medical education, financial incentives, local opinion leaders, marketing, passive dissemination of information, patient-mediated interventions, reminders, and multifaceted interventions. Active approaches, such as academic detailing, led to greater effects than traditional passive approaches. According to the findings of 3 reviews, 71% of studies included in these reviews showed positive change in physician behavior when exposed to active educational methods and multifaceted interventions. Active forms of continuing medical education and multifaceted interventions were found to be the most effective methods for implementing guidelines into general practice. Additionally, active approaches to changing physician performance were shown to improve practice to a greater extent than traditional passive methods. Further primary research is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these methods in a surgical setting.

Case study of physician leaders in quality and patient safety, and the development of a physician leadership network.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Chris; Yousefi, Vandad; Wallington, Tamara; Ginzburg, Amir

2010-01-01

There is increasing recognition of the need for physician leadership in quality and patient safety, and emerging evidence that physician leadership contributes to improved care. Hospitals are beginning to establish physician leader positions; however, there is little guidance on how to define these roles and the strategies physician leaders can use toward improving care. This case study examines the roles of four physician leaders, describes their contribution to the design and implementation of hospital quality and patient safety agendas and discusses the creation of a physician network to support these activities. The positions were established between July 2006 and April 2009. All are corporate roles with varying reporting and accountability structures. The physician leads are involved in strategic planning, identifying and leading quality and safety initiatives, physician engagement and culture change. All have significantly contributed to the implementation of hospital improvement activities and are seen as influential among their peers as resources and mentors for local project success. Despite their accomplishments, these physician leads have been challenged by ambiguous role descriptions and difficulty identifying effective improvement strategies. As such, an expanding physician network was created with the goal of sharing approaches and tools and creating new strategies. Physician leaders are an important factor in the improvement of safety and quality within hospitals. This case study provides a template for the creation of such positions and highlights the importance of networking as an effective strategy for improving local care and advancing professional development of physician leaders in quality and patient safety.

Physician burnout: contributors, consequences and solutions.

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West, C P; Dyrbye, L N; Shanafelt, T D

2018-06-01

Physician burnout, a work-related syndrome involving emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a sense of reduced personal accomplishment, is prevalent internationally. Rates of burnout symptoms that have been associated with adverse effects on patients, the healthcare workforce, costs and physician health exceed 50% in studies of both physicians-in-training and practicing physicians. This problem represents a public health crisis with negative impacts on individual physicians, patients and healthcare organizations and systems. Drivers of this epidemic are largely rooted within healthcare organizations and systems and include excessive workloads, inefficient work processes, clerical burdens, work-home conflicts, lack of input or control for physicians with respect to issues affecting their work lives, organizational support structures and leadership culture. Individual physician-level factors also play a role, with higher rates of burnout commonly reported in female and younger physicians. Effective solutions align with these drivers. For example, organizational efforts such as locally developed practice modifications and increased support for clinical work have demonstrated benefits in reducing burnout. Individually focused solutions such as mindfulness-based stress reduction and small-group programmes to promote community, connectedness and meaning have also been shown to be effective. Regardless of the specific approach taken, the problem of physician burnout is best addressed when viewed as a shared responsibility of both healthcare systems and individual physicians. Although our understanding of physician burnout has advanced considerably in recent years, many gaps in our knowledge remain. Longitudinal studies of burnout's effects and the impact of interventions on both burnout and its effects are needed, as are studies of effective solutions implemented in combination. For medicine to fulfil its mission for patients and for public health, all stakeholders

Physicians and Insider Trading.

Science.gov (United States)

Kesselheim, Aaron S; Sinha, Michael S; Joffe, Steven

2015-12-01

Although insider trading is illegal, recent high-profile cases have involved physicians and scientists who are part of corporate governance or who have access to information about clinical trials of investigational products. Insider trading occurs when a person in possession of information that might affect the share price of a company's stock uses that information to buy or sell securities--or supplies that information to others who buy or sell--when the person is expected to keep such information confidential. The input that physicians and scientists provide to business leaders can serve legitimate social functions, but insider trading threatens to undermine any positive outcomes of these relationships. We review insider-trading rules and consider approaches to securities fraud in the health care field. Given the magnitude of the potential financial rewards, the ease of concealing illegal conduct, and the absence of identifiable victims, the temptation for physicians and scientists to engage in insider trading will always be present. Minimizing the occurrence of insider trading will require robust education, strictly enforced contractual provisions, and selective prohibitions against high-risk conduct, such as participation in expert consulting networks and online physician forums, by those individuals with access to valuable inside information.

Physicians' perspectives of pharmacist-physician collaboration in the United Arab Emirates: Findings from an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, S; Stewart, K; Chapman, C B; Kong, D C M

2018-03-28

Interprofessional collaborative care has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Physicians' views on collaboration with pharmacists give an insight into what contributes to a well-functioning team. Little is known about these views from low and ​middle-income countries and nothing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The purpose of this study is to investigate physicians' opinions on collaborative relationships with community pharmacists in the UAE. Semi-structured individual interviews and group discussions are conducted with a purposive sample of physicians. Thematic analysis based on the framework approach is used to generate themes. A total of 53 physicians participated. Three themes about collaboration emerged: perceived benefits of collaboration, facilitators of collaboration and perceived barriers to collaboration. Perceived benefits include reducing the burden on physicians, having the pharmacist as an extra safety check within the system, having the pharmacist assist patients to manage their medications: coping with side effects, reducing drug waste and costs, and attaining professional and health-system gains. Perceived facilitators included awareness and trust building, professional role definition, pharmacists' access to patient records and effective communication. Perceived barriers included patient and physician acceptance, logistic and financial issues and perceived pharmacist competence. This study has, for the first time, provided useful information to inform the future development of pharmacist-physician collaboration in the UAE and other countries with similar healthcare systems.

Physician Leadership: A Central Strategy to Transforming Healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Oostra, Randall D

2016-01-01

As the role of the physician leader becomes increasingly important in the transformation of healthcare, how hospitals, health systems, and other healthcare organizations define that role is undergoing radical change. Traditional physician leadership roles no longer are effective, and the independent medical staff approach is changing to a collaborative, team-oriented model. The dyad relationship between physician leaders and operational leaders is shifting from a rigid, siloed set of responsibilities to a model characterized by a distributed, situational framework of accountabilities, and the scope of influence of the physician leader and operational leader fluctuates depending on the situation and individuals involved. In addition, the focus of the physician leader is moving to one founded in servant leadership, with an increased emphasis on creating supportive models to enhance physicians' success and place them in the roles of leader and integrator of health.

Physician-industry relations. Part 1: individual physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Coyle, Susan L

2002-03-05

This is part 1 of a 2-part paper on ethics and physician-industry relationships. Part 1 offers advice to individual physicians; part 2 gives recommendations to medical education providers and medical professional societies. Physicians and industry have a shared interest in advancing medical knowledge. Nonetheless, the primary ethic of the physician is to promote the patient's best interests, while the primary ethic of industry is to promote profitability. Although partnerships between physicians and industry can result in impressive medical advances, they also create opportunities for bias and can result in unfavorable public perceptions. Many physicians and physicians-in-training think they are impervious to commercial influence. However, recent studies show that accepting industry hospitality and gifts, even drug samples, can compromise judgment about medical information and subsequent decisions about patient care. It is up to the physician to judge whether a gift is acceptable. A very general guideline is that it is ethical to accept modest gifts that advance medical practice. It is clearly unethical to accept gifts or services that obligate the physician to reciprocate. Conflicts of interest can arise from other financial ties between physicians and industry, whether to outside companies or self-owned businesses. Such ties include honorariums for speaking or writing about a company's product, payment for participating in clinic-based research, and referrals to medical resources. All of these relationships have the potential to influence a physician's attitudes and practices. This paper explores the ethical quandaries involved and offers guidelines for ethical business relationships.

Patient-Centered Handovers: Ethnographic Observations of Attending and Resident Physicians: Ethnographic Observations of Attending and Resident Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Mount-Campbell, Austin F; Rayo, Michael F; OʼBrien, James J; Allen, Theodore T; Patterson, Emily S

Handover communication improvement initiatives typically employ a "one size fits all" approach. A human factors perspective has the potential to guide how to tailor interventions to roles, levels of experience, settings, and types of patients. We conducted ethnographic observations of sign-outs by attending and resident physicians in 2 medical intensive care units at one institution. Digitally audiotaped data were manually analyzed for content using codes and time spent using box plots for emergent categories. A total of 34 attending and 58 resident physician handovers were observed. Resident physicians spent more time for "soon to be discharged" and "higher concern" patients than attending physicians. Resident physicians spent less time discussing patients which they had provided care for within the last 3 days ("handbacks"). The study suggested differences for how handovers were conducted for attending and resident physicians for 3 categories of patients; handovers differ on the basis of role or level of expertise, patient type, and amount of prior knowledge of the patient. The findings have implications for new directions for subsequent research and for how to tailor quality improvement interventions based upon the role, level of experience, level of prior knowledge, and patient categories.

Injuries to the Collateral Ligaments of the Metacarpophalangeal Joint of the Thumb, Including Simultaneous Combined Thumb Ulnar and Radial Collateral Ligament Injuries, in National Football League Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Brian C; Belkin, Nicole S; Kennelly, Steve; Weiss, Leigh; Barnes, Ronnie P; Rodeo, Scott A; Warren, Russell F; Hotchkiss, Robert N

2017-01-01

Thumb collateral ligament injuries occur frequently in the National Football League (NFL). In the general population or in recreational athletes, pure metacarpophalangeal (MCP) abduction or adduction mechanisms yield isolated ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and radial collateral ligament (RCL) tears, respectively, while NFL athletes may sustain combined mechanism injury patterns. To evaluate the incidence of simultaneous combined thumb UCL and RCL tears among all thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries in NFL athletes on a single team. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A retrospective review of all thumb injuries on a single NFL team from 1991 to 2014 was performed. All players with a thumb MCP collateral ligament injury were included. Collateral ligament injuries were confirmed by review of both physical examination findings and magnetic resonance imaging. Player demographics, surgical details, and return-to-play data were obtained from the team electronic medical record and surgeons' records. A total of 36 thumbs in 32 NFL players were included in the study, yielding an incidence of 1.6 thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries per year on a single NFL team. Of these, 9 thumbs (25%) had a simultaneous combined UCL and RCL tear injury pattern confirmed on both physical examination and MRI. The remaining 27 thumbs (75%) were isolated UCL injuries. All combined UCL/RCL injuries required surgery due to dysfunction from instability; 63.0% of isolated UCL injuries required surgical repair ( P = .032) due to continued pain and dysfunction from instability. Repair, when required, was delayed until the end of the season. All players with combined UCL/RCL injuries and isolated UCL injuries returned to play professional football the following season. Simultaneous combined thumb UCL and RCL tear is a previously undescribed injury pattern that occurred in 25% of thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries on a single NFL team over a 23-year period. All players with combined thumb UCL

The Relationship between the Family Physician and Psychosomatic Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzad Goli

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Organizing the health system around family medicine (FM has been a productive approach for developed countries. The aim of this study, which was concurrent with the Iran Health Transform Plan (HTP and the establishment of the family physician in Iran, was to discuss the sufficiency of a family physician training program for their roles and increase their competency.Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the Psychosomatic Research Center affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Science, Iran, with the assistance of the Iranian Institute of Higher Health (2015. An expert panel consisting of 6 individuals including specialists, trainers, and researchers in FM and psychosomatic medicine was held for this purpose. Using the World Organization of Family Doctors‎ (WONCA website for the definition of a family physician, the curriculum developed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education was studied. Data were summarized in one table.Results: The current FM curriculum, with this content and method, does not seem to be capable of enabling physicians to perform their multidisciplinary roles. it still has a reductionist approach and disease orientation instead of a clinical reasoning method and systematic viewpoint. The psychosomatic approach is applicable at all prevention levels and in all diseases‎, since it is basically designed for this longitudinal (between all preventive levels and horizontal (bio-physical–social-spiritual intervention integration.Conclusion: Psychosomatic medicine, not as a biomedical specialty, but rather as a systems thinking model in health, had a rapid rise during previous decades. Now, its services have been integrated into all medical fields. This means that it should be adopted in the core of health care services (i.e., the family physician position before other sections. This would help the implementation of this approach in the health system, and the reduction of patients' pain and

ICDTag: a prototype for a web-based system for organizing physician-written blog posts using a hybrid taxonomy-folksonomy approach.

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Batch, Yamen; Yusof, Maryati Mohd; Noah, Shahrul Azman

2013-02-27

Medical blogs have emerged as new media, extending to a wider range of medical audiences, including health professionals and patients to share health-related information. However, extraction of quality health-related information from medical blogs is challenging primarily because these blogs lack systematic methods to organize their posts. Medical blogs can be categorized according to their author into (1) physician-written blogs, (2) nurse-written blogs, and (3) patient-written blogs. This study focuses on how to organize physician-written blog posts that discuss disease-related issues and how to extract quality information from these posts. The goal of this study was to create and implement a prototype for a Web-based system, called ICDTag, based on a hybrid taxonomy-folksonomy approach that follows a combination of a taxonomy classification schemes and user-generated tags to organize physician-written blog posts and extract information from these posts. First, the design specifications for the Web-based system were identified. This system included two modules: (1) a blogging module that was implemented as one or more blogs, and (2) an aggregator module that aggregated posts from different blogs into an aggregator website. We then developed a prototype for this system in which the blogging module included two blogs, the cardiology blog and the gastroenterology blog. To analyze the usage patterns of the prototype, we conducted an experiment with data provided by cardiologists and gastroenterologists. Next, we conducted two evaluation types: (1) an evaluation of the ICDTag blog, in which the browsing functionalities of the blogging module were evaluated from the end-user's perspective using an online questionnaire, and (2) an evaluation of information quality, in which the quality of the content on the aggregator website was assessed from the perspective of medical experts using an emailed questionnaire. Participants of this experiment included 23 cardiologists and

Family medicine physicians' advice about use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Kathryn; Burg, Mary Ann; Fraser, Kathryn; Gui, Serena; Kosch, Shae Graham; Nierenberg, Barry; Oyama, Oliver; Pomm, Heidi; Sibille, Kimberly; Spruill, Timothy; Swartz, Virginia

2007-05-01

This study explores the beliefs and practices of family medicine physicians regarding the use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to faculty and residents from eight participating family medicine residency programs around Florida, with an overall response rate of 66% (212 respondents). The survey explored what physicians report about patterns of patient inquiries and their responses to patients' inquiries about nonconventional modalities for specific menopausal symptoms and what physicians' report on their advice to patients about using specific herbs and supplements for menopausal symptom relief. Behavioral approaches were encouraged more than herbal therapies, acupuncture, and body therapies for the treatment of most of the menopausal symptoms. However, the most frequent response category was No advice. Resident physicians were significantly more likely than faculty to encourage acupuncture. Faculty physicians were more likely than residents to recommend particular herbal remedies. The majority of the respondents believed there was not sufficient evidence for recommending any of the herbs and supplements listed. These data reveal some important trends about how family medicine physicians respond to nontraditional approaches for menopausal symptom management. Because family medicine physicians typically receive some training in behavioral and psychotherapeutic approaches and there is some evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral strategies in menopausal symptom management, it is not surprising that they are more likely to endorse these approaches. Most family medicine physicians, however, have little or no training in the other nonconventional modalities, and our data show that these modalities received lower levels of endorsement, suggesting that physicians are not clear on their advantages or disadvantages.

Physician leadership in e-health? A systematic literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keijser, Wouter Alexander; Smits, Jacco Gerardus Wilhelmus Leonardus; Penterman, Lisanne; Wilderom, Celeste P.M.

2016-01-01

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on roles of physicians in virtual teams (VTs) delivering healthcare for effective “physician e-leadership” (PeL) and implementation of e-health. Design/methodology/approach The analyzed studies were retrieved with explicit keywords and

Improving patient safety and physician accountability using the hospital credentialing process

OpenAIRE

Forster, Alan J; Turnbull, Jeff; McGuire, Shaun; Ho, Michael L; Worthington, JR

2011-01-01

Abstract The lack of systematic oversight of physician performance has led to some serious cases related to physician competence and behaviour. We are currently implementing a hospital-wide approach to improve physician oversight by incorporating it into the hospital credentialing process. Our proposed credentialing method involves four systems: (1) a system for monitoring and reporting clinical performance; (2) a system for evaluating physician behaviour; (3) a complaints management system; ...

In their own words: describing Canadian physician leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Snell, Anita J; Dickson, Graham; Wirtzfeld, Debrah; Van Aerde, John

2016-07-04

Purpose This is the first study to compile statistical data to describe the functions and responsibilities of physicians in formal and informal leadership roles in the Canadian health system. This mixed-methods research study offers baseline data relative to this purpose, and also describes physician leaders' views on fundamental aspects of their leadership responsibility. Design/methodology/approach A survey with both quantitative and qualitative fields yielded 689 valid responses from physician leaders. Data from the survey were utilized in the development of a semi-structured interview guide; 15 physician leaders were interviewed. Findings A profile of Canadian physician leadership has been compiled, including demographics; an outline of roles, responsibilities, time commitments and related compensation; and personal factors that support, engage and deter physicians when considering taking on leadership roles. The role of health-care organizations in encouraging and supporting physician leadership is explicated. Practical implications The baseline data on Canadian physician leaders create the opportunity to determine potential steps for improving the state of physician leadership in Canada; and health-care organizations are provided with a wealth of information on how to encourage and support physician leaders. Using the data as a benchmark, comparisons can also be made with physician leadership as practiced in other nations. Originality/value There are no other research studies available that provide the depth and breadth of detail on Canadian physician leadership, and the embedded recommendations to health-care organizations are informed by this in-depth knowledge.

Jordanian Physicians' Attitudes toward Disclosure of Cancer Information and Patient Participation in Treatment Decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Obeidat, Rana; Khrais, Huthaifah I

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine the attitude of Jordanian physicians toward disclosure of cancer information, comfort and use of different decision-making approaches, and treatment decision making. A descriptive, comparative research design was used. A convenience sample of 86 Jordanian medical and radiation oncologists and surgeons practicing mainly in oncology was recruited. A modified version of a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire is a valid measure of physicians' views of shared decision making. Almost 91% of all physicians indicated that the doctor should tell the patient and let him/her decide if the family should know of an early-stage cancer diagnosis. Physicians provide abundant information about the extent of the disease, the side effects and benefits of the treatment, and details of the treatment procedures. They also provided less information on the effects of treatment on the sexuality, mood, and family of the patient. Almost 48% of the participating physicians reported using shared decision making as their usual approach for treatment decision making, and 67% reported that they were comfortable with this approach. The main setting of clinical activity was the only factor associated with physicians' usual approach to medical decision making. Moreover, age, years of experience, and main setting of clinical activity were associated with physicians' comfort level with the shared approach. Although Jordanian physicians appreciate patient autonomy, self-determination, and right to information, paternalistic decision making and underuse of the shared decision-making approach persist. Strategies that target both healthcare providers and patients must be employed to promote shared decision making in the Jordanian healthcare system.

Human Trafficking: A Guide to Identification and Approach for the Emergency Physician.

Science.gov (United States)

Shandro, Jamie; Chisolm-Straker, Makini; Duber, Herbert C; Findlay, Shannon Lynn; Munoz, Jessica; Schmitz, Gillian; Stanzer, Melanie; Stoklosa, Hanni; Wiener, Dan E; Wingkun, Neil

2016-10-01

Human trafficking is a significant human rights problem that is often associated with psychological and physical violence. There is no demographic that is spared from human trafficking. Traffickers maintain control of victims through physical, sexual, and emotional violence and manipulation. Because victims of trafficking seek medical attention for the medical and psychological consequences of assault and neglected health conditions, emergency clinicians are in a unique position to recognize victims and intervene. Evaluation of possible trafficking victims is challenging because patients who have been exploited rarely self-identify. This article outlines the clinical approach to the identification and treatment of a potential victim of human trafficking in the emergency department. Emergency practitioners should maintain a high index of suspicion when evaluating patients who appear to be at risk for abuse and violence, and assess for specific indicators of trafficking. Potential victims should be evaluated with a multidisciplinary and patient-centered technique. Furthermore, emergency practitioners should be aware of national and local resources to guide the approach to helping identified victims. Having established protocols for victim identification, care, and referrals can greatly facilitate health care providers' assisting this population. Copyright © 2016 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health and Marketing: Essays on Physician and Patient Decision-Making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

N.M.A. Camacho (Nuno)

2011-01-01

textabstractIn this dissertation, I focus on physician and patient behavior. I model patient and physician decisions by integrating robust insights from different behavioral sciences (e.g. economics, psychology and sociology) in econometric models calibrated on individual data. This approach allows

Physician practice management companies: should physicians be scared?

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Rotter, A E; Brown, J A

1999-01-01

Physician practice management companies (PPMCs) manage nonclinical aspects of physician care and control physician groups by buying practice assets. Until recently, PPMCs were a favorite of Wall Street. Suddenly, in early 1998, the collapse of the MedPartners-PhyCor merger led to the rapid fall of most PPMC stock, thereby increasing wariness of physicians to sell to or invest in PPMCs. This article explores not only the broken promises made by and false assumptions about PPMCs, but also suggests criteria that physicians should use and questions would-be PPMC members should ask before joining. Criteria include: demonstrated expertise, a company philosophy that promotes professional autonomy, financial stability, freedom from litigation, and satisfied physicians already in the PPMC. The authors recommend that physicians seek out relatively small, single-specialty PPMCs, which hold the best promise of generating profits and permitting professional control over clinical decisions.

Can complexity science inform physician leadership development?

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Grady, Colleen Marie

2016-07-04

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe research that examined physician leadership development using complexity science principles. Design/methodology/approach Intensive interviewing of 21 participants and document review provided data regarding physician leadership development in health-care organizations using five principles of complexity science (connectivity, interdependence, feedback, exploration-of-the-space-of-possibilities and co-evolution), which were grouped in three areas of inquiry (relationships between agents, patterns of behaviour and enabling functions). Findings Physician leaders are viewed as critical in the transformation of healthcare and in improving patient outcomes, and yet significant challenges exist that limit their development. Leadership in health care continues to be associated with traditional, linear models, which are incongruent with the behaviour of a complex system, such as health care. Physician leadership development remains a low priority for most health-care organizations, although physicians admit to being limited in their capacity to lead. This research was based on five principles of complexity science and used grounded theory methodology to understand how the behaviours of a complex system can provide data regarding leadership development for physicians. The study demonstrated that there is a strong association between physician leadership and patient outcomes and that organizations play a primary role in supporting the development of physician leaders. Findings indicate that a physician's relationship with their patient and their capacity for innovation can be extended as catalytic behaviours in a complex system. The findings also identified limiting factors that impact physicians who choose to lead, such as reimbursement models that do not place value on leadership and medical education that provides minimal opportunity for leadership skill development. Practical Implications This research provides practical

The relationship between physician humility, physician-patient communication, and patient health.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruberton, Peter M; Huynh, Ho P; Miller, Tricia A; Kruse, Elliott; Chancellor, Joseph; Lyubomirsky, Sonja

2016-07-01

Cultural portrayals of physicians suggest an unclear and even contradictory role for humility in the physician-patient relationship. Despite the social importance of humility, however, little empirical research has linked humility in physicians with patient outcomes or the characteristics of the doctor-patient visit. The present study investigated the relationship between physician humility, physician-patient communication, and patients' perceptions of their health during a planned medical visit. Primary care physician-patient interactions (297 patients across 100 physicians) were rated for the physician's humility and the effectiveness of the physician-patient communication. Additionally, patients reported their overall health and physicians and patients reported their satisfaction with the interaction. Within-physician fluctuations in physician humility and self-reported patient health positively predicted one another, and mean-level differences in physician humility predicted effective physician-patient communication, even when controlling for the patient's and physician's satisfaction with the visit and the physician's frustration with the patient. The results suggest that humble, rather than paternalistic or arrogant, physicians are most effective at working with their patients. Interventions to improve physician humility may promote better communication between health care providers and patients, and, in turn, better patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health and Marketing: Essays on Physician and Patient Decision-Making

OpenAIRE

Camacho, Nuno

2011-01-01

textabstractIn this dissertation, I focus on physician and patient behavior. I model patient and physician decisions by integrating robust insights from different behavioral sciences (e.g. economics, psychology and sociology) in econometric models calibrated on individual data. This approach allows me to bring novel insights for managers, policy-makers and patients about: (1) how physicians learn from patient feedback about a new drug (in particular, how switching patients are 7 to 10 times m...

An innovative approach to supporting hospitalist physicians towards academic success.

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Eric; Kravet, Steven; Kisuule, Flora; Wright, Scott M

2008-07-01

Academic hospitalist physicians face significant challenges that may threaten their chances for successful and timely promotions, such as heavy clinical workloads, limited training in research, and relatively few experienced mentors in their field. The appreciable growth of hospital medicine groups in recent years, as has occurred at our institution, compounds the predicament by diluting the limited resources that are available to support these physicians. A needs assessment was followed by the development of specific objectives for the division and for individual members of the division related to academic success. The resulting 3-pronged strategy to support the academic success of our group was based on securing strong mentorship, investing requisite resources, and committing to recruit fellowship-trained new faculty. To date, the initiative has resulted in an increased number of peer-reviewed publication and grants, as well as national leadership roles for division members. Copyright 2008 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Fostering interpersonal trust on social media: physicians' perspectives and experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Panahi, Sirous; Watson, Jason; Partridge, Helen

2016-02-01

The problem of developing and sustaining mutual trust is one of the main barriers to knowledge sharing on social media platforms such as blogs, wikis, micro-blogs and social networking websites. While many studies argue that mutual trust is necessary for online communication and knowledge sharing, few have actually explored and demonstrated how physicians can establish and sustain trusted relationships on social media. To identify approaches through which physicians establish interpersonal trust on social media. Twenty-four physicians, who were active users of social media, were interviewed using a semi-structured approach between 2013 and 2014. Snowball sampling was employed for participant recruitment. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Physicians trust their peers on social media in a slightly different way than in face-to-face communication. The study found that the majority of participants established trust on social media mainly through previous personal interaction, authenticity and relevancy of voice, professional standing, consistency of communication, peer recommendation, and non-anonymous and moderated sites. Healthcare professionals need to approach social media carefully when using it for knowledge sharing, networking and developing trusted relations with like-minded peers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Physician Order Entry Clerical Support Improves Physician Satisfaction and Productivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Contratto, Erin; Romp, Katherine; Estrada, Carlos A; Agne, April; Willett, Lisa L

2017-05-01

To examine the impact of clerical support personnel for physician order entry on physician satisfaction, productivity, timeliness with electronic health record (EHR) documentation, and physician attitudes. All seven part-time physicians at an academic general internal medicine practice were included in this quasi-experimental (single group, pre- and postintervention) mixed-methods study. One full-time clerical support staff member was trained and hired to enter physician orders in the EHR and conduct previsit planning. Physician satisfaction, productivity, timeliness with EHR documentation, and physician attitudes toward the intervention were measured. Four months after the intervention, physicians reported improvements in overall quality of life (good quality, 71%-100%), personal balance (43%-71%), and burnout (weekly, 43%-14%; callousness, 14%-0%). Matched for quarter, productivity increased: work relative value unit (wRVU) per session increased by 20.5% (before, April-June 2014; after, April-June 2015; range -9.2% to 27.5%). Physicians reported feeling more supported, more focused on patient care, and less stressed and fatigued after the intervention. This study supports the use of physician order entry clerical personnel as a simple, cost-effective intervention to improve the work lives of primary care physicians.

Building relationships with physicians. Internal marketing efforts help strengthen organizational bonds at a rural health care clinic.

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Peltier, J W; Boyt, T; Westfall, J E

1997-01-01

Physician turnover is costly for health care organizations, especially for rural organizations. One approach management can take to reduce turnover is to promote physician loyalty by treating them as an important customer segment. The authors develop an information--oriented framework for generating physician loyalty and illustrate how this framework has helped to eliminate physician turnover at a rural health care clinic. Rural health care organizations must develop a more internal marketing orientation in their approach to establishing strong relationship bonds with physicians.

Physician Burnout: Improving Treatment Efficacy with Virtual Reality.

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Wiederhold, Brenda K; Riva, Giuseppe; Gaggioli, Andrea; Wiederhold, Mark D

2016-01-01

Creating a significant negative impact on both their quality of life and the quality of patient care with an evident economical burden for the healthcare system, there is a growing concern over physician burnout. The range of interventions and treatments that have been used to address this problem, however, appear quite fragmented and lack compelling efficacy. We describe the main factors known to contribute to the development of physician burnout as well as currently available treatments. Studies seem to indicate that both specialisation area as well as personality traits may contribute to the manifestation. The highest risk specialties appear to be critical care physicians, emergency physicians, oncologists and internal medicine physicians, while the highest risk personality attributes are high neuroticism, low agreeableness, introversion, and negative affectivity. In addition, being exceedingly enthusiastic about one's work and having high aspirations at work, with an idealistic approach, also serve as factors which contribute to increased risk of burnout, and in particular for those who are new to the occupation.

The Voice of Chinese Health Consumers: A Text Mining Approach to Web-Based Physician Reviews.

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Hao, Haijing; Zhang, Kunpeng

2016-05-10

skills and bedside manner, general appreciation from patients, and description of various symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first study using an automated text-mining approach to analyze a large amount of unstructured textual data of Web-based physician reviews in China. Based on our analysis, we found that Chinese reviewers mainly concentrate on a few popular topics. This is consistent with the goal of Chinese online health platforms and demonstrates the health care focus in China's health care system. Our text-mining approach reveals a new research area on how to use big data to help health care providers, health care administrators, and policy makers hear patient voices, target patient concerns, and improve the quality of care in this age of patient-centered care. Also, on the health care consumer side, our text mining technique helps patients make more informed decisions about which specialists to see without reading thousands of reviews, which is simply not feasible. In addition, our comparison analysis of Web-based physician reviews in China and the United States also indicates some cultural differences.

Manager-physician relationships: an organizational theory perspective.

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Kaissi, Amer

2005-01-01

Manager-physician relationships are a critical determinant of the success of health care organizations. As the health care industry is moving toward a situation characterized by higher scarcity of resources, fiercer competition, more corporitization, and strict cost-containment approaches, managers and physicians should, more than ever, work together under conjoint or shared authority. Thus, their relationship can be described as one of high rewards, but also of high risk because of the wide range of differences that exist between them: different socializations and trainings resulting in different worldviews, value orientation and expectations and different cultures. In brief, managers and physicians represent different "tribes," each with its language, values, culture, thought patterns, and rules of the game. This article's main objective is to determine the underlying factors in the manager-physician relationship and to suggest ways that make this relationship more effective. Four different organizational perspectives will be used. The occupational perspective will give insights on the internal characteristics of the occupational communities of managers and physicians. The theory of deprofessionalization of physicians will also be discussed. The structuring perspective will look at the manager-physician relationship as a structure in the organization and will determine the effects of contextual factors (size, task uncertainty, strategy, and environment) on this relationship and the resulting effect on performance and effectiveness of the organization. The culture and control perspective will help detect the cultural differences between managers and physicians and how these interact to affect control over the decision-making areas in the hospital. The power, conflict, and dialectics perspective will shed the light on the conflicting interests of managers and physicians and how these shape the "power game" in the organization. Consequently, a theoretical model of

A multimethod study of needs for physician assessment: implications for education and regulation.

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Hawkins, Richard; Roemheld-Hamm, Beatrix; Ciccone, Andrea; Mee, Janet; Tallia, Alfred

2009-01-01

Deficiencies in physician competence play an important role in medical errors and poor-quality health care. National trends toward implementation of continuous assessment of physicians hold potential for significant impact on patient care because minor deficiencies can be identified before patient safety is threatened. However, the availability of assessment methods and the quality of existing tools vary, and a better understanding of the types of deficiencies seen in physicians is required to prioritize the development and enhancement of assessment and remediation methods. Surveys of physicians and licensing authorities and analysis of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) Board Action Data Bank were used to collect information describing the nature and types of problems seen in practicing physicians. Focus groups, depth interviews with key professional stakeholders, and state medical board site visits provided additional information about deficiencies in physician competence. Quantitative and qualitative analyses identified (1) communication skills as a priority target for assessment approaches that also should focus on professional behaviors, knowledge, clinical judgment, and health-care quality; and (2) differences between regulatory approaches of licensing and certifying bodies contribute to a culture that limits effective self-assessment and continuous quality improvement. System problems impacting physician performance emerged as an important theme in the qualitative analysis. Considering alternative perspectives from the regulatory, education, and practice communities helps to define assessment priorities for physicians, facilitating development of a coherent and defensible approach to assessment and continuing professional development that promises to provide a more comprehensive solution to problems of health-care quality in the United States.

Patient-Physician Communication About Code Status Preferences: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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Rhondali, Wadih; Perez-Cruz, Pedro; Hui, David; Chisholm, Gary B.; Dalal, Shalini; Baile, Walter; Chittenden, Eva; Bruera, Eduardo

2013-01-01

Purpose Code status discussions are important in cancer care. The best modality for such discussions has not been established. Our objective was to determine the impact of a physician ending a code status discussion with a question (autonomy approach) versus a recommendation (beneficence approach) on patients' do-not-resuscitate (DNR) preference. Methods Patients in a supportive care clinic watched two videos showing a physician-patient discussion regarding code status. Both videos were identical except for the ending: one ended with the physician asking for the patient's code status preference and the other with the physician recommending DNR. Patients were randomly assigned to watch the videos in different sequences. The main outcome was the proportion of patients choosing DNR for the video patient. Results 78 patients completed the study. 74% chose DNR after the question video, 73% after the recommendation video. Median physician compassion score was very high and not different for both videos. 30/30 patients who had chosen DNR for themselves and 30/48 patients who had not chosen DNR for themselves chose DNR for the video patient (100% v/s 62%). Age (OR=1.1/year) and white ethnicity (OR=9.43) predicted DNR choice for the video patient. Conclusion Ending DNR discussions with a question or a recommendation did not impact DNR choice or perception of physician compassion. Therefore, both approaches are clinically appropriate. All patients who chose DNR for themselves and most patients who did not choose DNR for themselves chose DNR for the video patient. Age and race predicted DNR choice. PMID:23564395

Physicians' perceptions of physician-nurse interactions and information needs in China.

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Wen, Dong; Guan, Pengcheng; Zhang, Xingting; Lei, Jianbo

2018-01-01

Good communication between physicians and nurses is important for the understanding of disease status and treatment feedback; however, certain issues in Chinese hospitals could lead to suboptimal physician-nurse communication in clinical work. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants. Questionnaires were sent to clinical physicians in three top tertiary Grade-A teaching hospitals in China and six hundred and seventeen physicians participated in the survey. (1) Common physician-nurse interactions were shift-change reports and provisional reports when needed, and interactions expected by physicians included face-to-face reports and communication via a phone or mobile device. (2) Most respondents believed that the need for information in physician-nurse interactions was high, information was moderately accurate and timely, and feedback regarding interaction time and satisfaction indicated that they were only average and required improvement. (3) Information needs in physician-nurse interactions differed significantly according to hospital category, role, workplace, and educational background (p < .05). There was a considerable need for information within physician-nurse interactions, and the level of satisfaction with the information obtained was average; requirements for the improvement of communication differed between physicians and nurses because of differences in their characteristics. Currently, the use of information technology in physician-nurse communication was less common but was highly expected by physicians.

Physician Rating Websites: What Aspects Are Important to Identify a Good Doctor, and Are Patients Capable of Assessing Them? A Mixed-Methods Approach Including Physicians' and Health Care Consumers' Perspectives.

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Rothenfluh, Fabia; Schulz, Peter J

2017-05-01

Physician rating websites (PRWs) offer health care consumers the opportunity to evaluate their doctor anonymously. However, physicians' professional training and experience create a vast knowledge gap in medical matters between physicians and patients. This raises ethical concerns about the relevance and significance of health care consumers' evaluation of physicians' performance. To identify the aspects physician rating websites should offer for evaluation, this study investigated the aspects of physicians and their practice relevant for identifying a good doctor, and whether health care consumers are capable of evaluating these aspects. In a first step, a Delphi study with physicians from 4 specializations was conducted, testing various indicators to identify a good physician. These indicators were theoretically derived from Donabedian, who classifies quality in health care into pillars of structure, process, and outcome. In a second step, a cross-sectional survey with health care consumers in Switzerland (N=211) was launched based on the indicators developed in the Delphi study. Participants were asked to rate the importance of these indicators to identify a good physician and whether they would feel capable to evaluate those aspects after the first visit to a physician. All indicators were ordered into a 4×4 grid based on evaluation and importance, as judged by the physicians and health care consumers. Agreement between the physicians and health care consumers was calculated applying Holsti's method. In the majority of aspects, physicians and health care consumers agreed on what facets of care were important and not important to identify a good physician and whether patients were able to evaluate them, yielding a level of agreement of 74.3%. The two parties agreed that the infrastructure, staff, organization, and interpersonal skills are both important for a good physician and can be evaluated by health care consumers. Technical skills of a doctor and outcomes

The physician expert witness and the U.S. Supreme court--an epidemiologic approach.

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Norton, Martin L

2002-01-01

It is a fact of life that the physician is occasionally called upon to provide Expert Witness evidence. This is clearly distinct from evidence of a participatory nature where the physician is a party to the act by virtue of the doctor-patient relationship. The purpose of this presentation is to alert the physician to new criteria, imposed by the court, for acceptance of Expert Testimony. Prior to March 23, 1999, expert witness testimony fell into three categories, Scientific, technical, and other specialized knowledge. Scientific knowledge included the conclusions that could be subjected to analysis of a statistical nature, or could be validated by methodology such as epidemiologic criteria. Technical knowledge was based on factors such as mechanical or stress analysis utilized in engineering. Other "specialized knowledge" could be based on experiential data and information not necessarily subject to epidemiologic or other scientific analysis. Therefore, the physician presented his reasoning often based on years of professional practice and publication in journals of clinical practice. On March 23rd 1999, the Supreme Court of the United States changed the criteria for all categories stating that there is "no relevant distinction between 'scientific' knowledge' and 'technical' or 'other specialized knowledge' in Federal Rule of Evidence 702. This momentous decision [Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael, (97-1709), 131 F.3d 1433) reversed.] referred back to a previous case [Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc., 509 US. 579,589], which established four criteria based on methods of analysis for t he courts, and was now extended for all expert evidence. Thus the area of expert witness evidence was changed by this momentous act placing the judge as arbiter of all expert evidence, including that of the physician. This paper will offer a brief review and an analysis of the significance of this for the professional involved in the legal system as an expert witness.

The effect of explicit financial incentives on physician behavior.

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Armour, B S; Pitts, M M; Maclean, R; Cangialose, C; Kishel, M; Imai, H; Etchason, J

2001-05-28

Managed care organizations use explicit financial incentives to influence physicians' use of resources. This has contributed to concerns regarding conflicts of interest for physicians and adverse effects on the quality of patient care. In light of recent publicized legislative and legal battles about this issue, we reviewed the literature and analyzed studies that examine the effect of these explicit financial incentives on the behavior of physicians. The method used to undertake the literature review followed the approach set forth in the Cochrane Collaboration handbook. Our literature review revealed a paucity of data on the effect of explicit financial incentives. Based on this limited evidence, explicit incentives that place individual physicians at financial risk appear to be effective in reducing physician resource use. However, the empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of bonus payments on physician resource use is mixed. Similarly, our review revealed mixed effects of the influence of explicit financial incentives on the quality of patient care. The effect of explicit financial incentives on physician behavior is complicated by a lack of understanding of the incentive structure by the managed care organization and the physician. The lack of a universally acceptable definition of quality renders it important that future researchers identify the term explicitly.

Bleeding talent: a lesson from industry on embracing physician workforce challenges.

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Kneeland, Patrick P; Kneeland, Christine; Wachter, Robert M

2010-01-01

Shortages of both generalist and specialist physicians are intensifying as the US healthcare system confronts an unprecedented confluence of demographic pressures, including an aging population, the retirement of thousands of baby-boomer physicians, the growth of nonpractice opportunities for MDs, and physician demands for greater work-life balance. This work posits that the medical profession might benefit from recognizing how progressive nonmedical companies systematically approach similar "talent shortages" through a recruiting and retention strategy called "talent facilitation." It highlights the 4 actions of talent facilitation (attract, engage, develop, and retain) and provides examples of how each action might be utilized to address medicine's recruitment and retention challenges. Although other policy maneuvers are needed to address overall physician workforce shortages (such as the planned opening of more medical schools and changes in the payment system to promote primary care), the talent facilitation approach can help individual organizations meet their needs and those of their patients. Copyright 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Stoicism, the physician, and care of medical outliers

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Papadimos Thomas J

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical outliers present a medical, psychological, social, and economic challenge to the physicians who care for them. The determinism of Stoic thought is explored as an intellectual basis for the pursuit of a correct mental attitude that will provide aid and comfort to physicians who care for medical outliers, thus fostering continued physician engagement in their care. Discussion The Stoic topics of good, the preferable, the morally indifferent, living consistently, and appropriate actions are reviewed. Furthermore, Zeno's cardinal virtues of Justice, Temperance, Bravery, and Wisdom are addressed, as are the Stoic passions of fear, lust, mental pain, and mental pleasure. These concepts must be understood by physicians if they are to comprehend and accept the Stoic view as it relates to having the proper attitude when caring for those with long-term and/or costly illnesses. Summary Practicing physicians, especially those that are hospital based, and most assuredly those practicing critical care medicine, will be emotionally challenged by the medical outlier. A Stoic approach to such a social and psychological burden may be of benefit.

A System-Wide Approach to Physician Efficiency and Utilization Rates for Non-Operating Room Anesthesia Sites.

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Tsai, Mitchell H; Huynh, Tinh T; Breidenstein, Max W; O'Donnell, Stephen E; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M; Urman, Richard D

2017-07-01

There has been little in the development or application of operating room (OR) management metrics to non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) sites. This is in contrast to the well-developed management framework for the OR management. We hypothesized that by adopting the concept of physician efficiency, we could determine the applicability of this clinical productivity benchmark for physicians providing services for NORA cases at a tertiary care center. We conducted a retrospective data analysis of NORA sites at an academic, rural hospital, including both adult and pediatric patients. Using the time stamps from WiseOR® (Palo Alto, CA), we calculated site utilization and physician efficiency for each day. We defined scheduling efficiency (SE) as the number of staffed anesthesiologists divided by the number of staffed sites and stratified the data into three categories (SE 1). The mean physician efficiency was 0.293 (95% CI, [0.281, 0.305]), and the mean site utilization was 0.328 (95% CI, [0.314, 0.343]). When days were stratified by scheduling efficiency (SE 1), we found differences between physician efficiency and site utilization. On days where scheduling efficiency was less than 1, that is, there are more sites than physicians, mean physician efficiency (95% CI, [0.326, 0.402]) was higher than mean site utilization (95% CI, [0.250, 0.296]). We demonstrate that scheduling efficiency vis-à-vis physician efficiency as an OR management metric diverge when anesthesiologists travel between NORA sites. When the opportunity to scale operational efficiencies is limited, increasing scheduling efficiency by incorporating different NORA sites into a "block" allocation on any given day may be the only suitable tactical alternative.

Cost and technical efficiency of physician practices: a stochastic frontier approach using panel data.

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Heimeshoff, Mareike; Schreyögg, Jonas; Kwietniewski, Lukas

2014-06-01

This is the first study to use stochastic frontier analysis to estimate both the technical and cost efficiency of physician practices. The analysis is based on panel data from 3,126 physician practices for the years 2006 through 2008. We specified the technical and cost frontiers as translog function, using the one-step approach of Battese and Coelli to detect factors that influence the efficiency of general practitioners and specialists. Variables that were not analyzed previously in this context (e.g., the degree of practice specialization) and a range of control variables such as a patients' case-mix were included in the estimation. Our results suggest that it is important to investigate both technical and cost efficiency, as results may depend on the type of efficiency analyzed. For example, the technical efficiency of group practices was significantly higher than that of solo practices, whereas the results for cost efficiency differed. This may be due to indivisibilities in expensive technical equipment, which can lead to different types of health care services being provided by different practice types (i.e., with group practices using more expensive inputs, leading to higher costs per case despite these practices being technically more efficient). Other practice characteristics such as participation in disease management programs show the same impact throughout both cost and technical efficiency: participation in disease management programs led to an increase in both, technical and cost efficiency, and may also have had positive effects on the quality of care. Future studies should take quality-related issues into account.

Does an outcome-based approach to continuing medical education improve physicians' competences in rational prescribing?

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Esmaily, Hamideh M; Savage, Carl; Vahidi, Rezagoli; Amini, Abolghasem; Dastgiri, Saeed; Hult, Hakan; Dahlgren, Lars Owe; Wahlstrom, Rolf

2009-11-01

Continuing medical education (CME) is compulsory in Iran, and traditionally it is lecture-based, which is mostly not successful. Outcome-based education has been proposed for CME programs. To evaluate the effectiveness of an outcome-based educational intervention with a new approach based on outcomes and aligned teaching methods, on knowledge and skills of general physicians (GPs) working in primary care compared with a concurrent CME program in the field of "Rational prescribing". The method used was cluster randomized controlled design. All GPs working in six cities in one province in Iran were invited to participate. The cities were matched and randomly divided into an intervention arm for education on rational prescribing with an outcome-based approach, and a control arm for a traditional program on the same topic. Knowledge and skills were assessed using a pre- and post-test, including case scenarios. In total, 112 GPs participated. There were significant improvements in knowledge and prescribing skills after the training in the intervention arm as well as in comparison with the changes in the control arm. The overall intervention effect was 26 percentage units. The introduction of an outcome-based approach in CME appears to be effective when creating programs to improve GPs' knowledge and skills.

Consumer product branding strategy and the marketing of physicians' services.

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Friedrich, H; Witt, J

1995-01-01

Hospitals have traditionally maintained physician referral programs as a means of attracting physicians to their network of affiliated providers. The advent of managed care and impending healthcare reform has altered the relationship of hospitals and physicians. An exploratory study of marketing approaches used by twelve healthcare organizations representing twenty-five hospitals in a large city was conducted. Strategies encountered in the study ranged from practice acquisition to practice promotion. This study suggests that healthcare providers might adopt consumer product branding strategies to secure market-share, build brand equity, and improve profitability.

Patient-physician alliance: from Hippocrates to Post-Genomic Era. Commentary.

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Pulciani, Simonetta; Taruscio, Domenica

2017-01-01

Patients need clinical competence, appropriate diagnosis and therapies in overcoming their disease. Yet this is insufficient. The illness experience tends to frighten people and the resulting emotional aspects could become relevant factors in coping with a sickness and disability. Hippocrates was the first to urge physicians to look beyond the physical features of diseases and to consider the patient as a unique psychosomatic entity. Additionally, the scientist spurred physicians to make the patient an active participant in combating the disease. According to Hippocrates, "the Medical Art has three actors: the physician, the patients and the disease. The physician and the patient must be allied against the disease in order to fight it". In the "Post-Genomic Era", an effective therapeutic approach merits a patient-physician participation, based on scientific understandings and human considerations. These recommendations are even more urgent for Rare Diseases.

Collaborating internationally on physician leadership development: why now?

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Chan, Ming-Ka; de Camps Meschino, Diane; Dath, Deepak; Busari, Jamiu; Bohnen, Jordan David; Samson, Lindy Michelle; Matlow, Anne; Sánchez-Mendiola, Melchor

2016-07-04

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the importance of leadership development for all physicians within a competency-based medical education (CBME) framework. It describes the importance of timely international collaboration as a key strategy in promoting physician leadership development. Design/methodology/approach The paper explores published and Grey literature around physician leadership development and proposes that international collaboration will meet the expanding call for development of leadership competencies in postgraduate medical learners. Two grounding frameworks were used: complexity science supports adding physician leadership training to the current momentum of CBME adoption, and relational cultural theory supports the engagement of diverse stakeholders in multiple jurisdictions around the world to ensure inclusivity in leadership education development. Findings An international collaborative identified key insights regarding the need to frame physician leadership education within a competency-based model. Practical implications International collaboration can be a vehicle for developing a globally relevant, generalizable physician leadership curriculum. This model can be expanded to encourage innovation, scholarship and program evaluation. Originality/value A competency-based leadership development curriculum is being designed by an international collaborative. The curriculum is based on established leadership and education frameworks. The international collaboration model provides opportunities for ongoing sharing, networking and diversification.

Social media: physicians-to-physicians education and communication.

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Fehring, Keith A; De Martino, Ivan; McLawhorn, Alexander S; Sculco, Peter K

2017-06-01

Physician to physician communication is essential for the transfer of ideas, surgical experience, and education. Social networks and online video educational contents have grown exponentially in recent years changing the interaction among physicians. Social media platforms can improve physician-to-physician communication mostly through video education and social networking. There are several online video platforms for orthopedic surgery with educational content on diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, and surgical technique. Social networking instead is mostly centered on sharing of data, discussion of confidential topics, and job seeking. Quality of educational contents and data confidentiality represent the major drawbacks of these platforms. Orthopedic surgeons must be aware that the quality of the videos should be better controlled and regulated to avoid inaccurate information that may have a significant impact especially on trainees that are more prone to use this type of resources. Sharing of data and discussion of confidential topics should be extremely secure according the HIPAA regulations in order to protect patients' confidentiality.

Pathology in the Medical Profession?: Taking the Pulse of Physician Wellness and Burnout.

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Schrijver, Iris

2016-09-01

-In the past decades, physician wellness has diminished in every aspect of professional life. Burnout symptoms in the United States affect 30% to 68% of physicians overall-exceeding the levels of any other professional group. The ramifications of burnout present an underrecognized crisis in the health care system that carries the consequences of personal, professional, institutional, and societal costs. -To bring to light the elements of current medical practice that contribute to physician professional fulfillment and burnout. Intervention measures, steps toward burnout prevention, and the present limitations thereof are also addressed. -This narrative literature review was performed by using studies in PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information) and large online physician surveys, published through December 2015. Because of geographic differences, the review is primarily concentrated on physicians across specialties in the United States. Small studies and those of single disciplines were excluded. -Many physicians learn to tolerate burnout symptoms despite negative personal consequences. Long-term work-related stress, however, may lead to the potential for negative effects on the quality of patient care, and to attrition. Interestingly, the factors that enhance physician fulfillment and those that may precipitate burnout symptoms are distinct. Optimization of physician well-being, therefore, requires tailored approaches in each of these 2 dimensions and is most likely to succeed if it includes approaches that are customized to career phase, physician specialty, and practice setting. Importantly, organization leaders must prioritize this issue and provide sustained support for wellness initiatives, to foster a culture that is conducive to physician well-being.

Physician self-referral and physician-owned specialty facilities.

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Casalino, Lawrence P

2008-06-01

Physician self-referral ranges from suggesting a follow-up appointment, to sending a patient to a facility in which the doctor has an ownership interest or financial relationship. Physician referral to facilities in which the physicians have an ownership interest is becoming increasingly common and not always medically appropriate. This Synthesis reviews the evidence on physician self-referral arrangements, their effect on costs and utilization, and their effect on general hospitals. Key findings include: the rise in self-referral is sparked by financial, regulatory and clinical incentives, including patient convenience and doctors trying to preserve their income in the changing health care landscape. Strong evidence suggests self-referral leads to increased usage of health care services; but there is insufficient evidence to determine whether this increased usage reflects doctors meeting an unmet need or ordering clinically inappropriate care. The more significant a physician's financial interest in a facility, the more likely the doctor is to refer patients there. Arrangements through which doctors receive fees for patient referrals to third-party centers, such as "pay-per-click," time-share, and leasing arrangements, do not seem to offer benefits beyond increasing physician income. So far, the profit margins of general hospitals have not been harmed by the rise in doctor-owned facilities.

Athletes as PR Spokespeople: the NFL’s “A Crucial Catch” PR Campaign Explored

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Chyna Teresa Trible

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The results of the present study were presented at the 2015 International Conference on Communication and Management and examined the National Football League’s (NFL “A Crucial Catch” breast cancer awareness campaign in the United States. Variables included identification with NFL athletes, exposure to the campaign, NFL fanship, and intention to schedule a breast cancer screening (the action promoted by NFL athletes in this PR campaign. Social media outlets and an e-mail listserv of the School of Communication at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, USA were employed to solicit participants (n=119 in a survey. A questionnaire composed of items modified from Brown and Bocarnea’s (2007a Celebrity-Persona Parasocial Identification Scale to investigate identification with NFL athletes was used. Statistically significant relationships were found between identification with NFL athletes and exposure, identification with NFL athletes and intention to schedule a breast cancer screening, and identification with NFL athletes and NFL fanship. NFL fanship was also significantly related to exposure to the campaign. Implications for future studies analyzing PR campaigns produced by the NFL and FIFA are suggested.

Considerations of physicians about the depth of palliative sedation at the end of life

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Swart, Siebe J.; van der Heide, Agnes; van Zuylen, Lia; Perez, Roberto S.G.M.; Zuurmond, Wouter W.A.; van der Maas, Paul J.; van Delden, Johannes J.M.; Rietjens, Judith A.C.

2012-01-01

Background: Although guidelines advise titration of palliative sedation at the end of life, in practice the depth of sedation can range from mild to deep. We investigated physicians’ considerations about the depth of continuous sedation. Methods: We performed a qualitative study in which 54 physicians underwent semistructured interviewing about the last patient for whom they had been responsible for providing continuous palliative sedation. We also asked about their practices and general attitudes toward sedation. Results: We found two approaches toward the depth of continuous sedation: starting with mild sedation and only increasing the depth if necessary, and deep sedation right from the start. Physicians described similar determinants for both approaches, including titration of sedatives to the relief of refractory symptoms, patient preferences, wishes of relatives, expert advice and esthetic consequences of the sedation. However, physicians who preferred starting with mild sedation emphasized being guided by the patient’s condition and response, and physicians who preferred starting with deep sedation emphasized ensuring that relief of suffering would be maintained. Physicians who preferred each approach also expressed different perspectives about whether patient communication was important and whether waking up after sedation is started was problematic. Interpretation: Physicians who choose either mild or deep sedation appear to be guided by the same objective of delivering sedation in proportion to the relief of refractory symptoms, as well as other needs of patients and their families. This suggests that proportionality should be seen as a multidimensional notion that can result in different approaches toward the depth of sedation. PMID:22331961

Horizontal and vertical integration of physicians: a tale of two tails.

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Burns, Lawton Robert; Goldsmith, Jeff C; Sen, Aditi

2013-01-01

Researchers recommend a reorganization of the medical profession into larger groups with a multispecialty mix. We analyze whether there is evidence for the superiority of these models and if this organizational transformation is underway. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY APPROACH: We summarize the evidence on scale and scope economies in physician group practice, and then review the trends in physician group size and specialty mix to conduct survivorship tests of the most efficient models. The distribution of physician groups exhibits two interesting tails. In the lower tail, a large percentage of physicians continue to practice in small, physician-owned practices. In the upper tail, there is a small but rapidly growing percentage of large groups that have been organized primarily by non-physician owners. While our analysis includes no original data, it does collate all known surveys of physician practice characteristics and group practice formation to provide a consistent picture of physician organization. Our review suggests that scale and scope economies in physician practice are limited. This may explain why most physicians have retained their small practices. Larger, multispecialty groups have been primarily organized by non-physician owners in vertically integrated arrangements. There is little evidence supporting the efficiencies of such models and some concern they may pose anticompetitive threats. This is the first comprehensive review of the scale and scope economies of physician practice in nearly two decades. The research results do not appear to have changed much; nor has much changed in physician practice organization.

Effectiveness of E-learning Compared to Classroom Learning in the Diagnostic Approach to Bioterrorism and Chemical Terrorism for Emergency Physicians

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Mustafa Alavi-Moghaddam

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: Emergency physicians play an important role in the immediate diagnosis of bioterrorism activities. The present study was conducted with the purpose of comparing the effectiveness of e-learning and classroom learning in approach to bioterrorism and chemical terrorism for emergency physicians.Methods: This was a semi-empirical study, which was conducted via testing knowledge before and after the educational intervention in the field of bioterrorism and chemical terrorism on the emergency physicians in Tehran. The external validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by two academic experts in order to determine the ability to detect bioterrorist and chemical terrorist diseases. In this study, education was done in both virtual and classroom forms. The education regarded 6 bioterrorist diseases in group A (anthrax, plague, viral hemorrhagic fever, tularemia, smallpox, and 5 chemical terrorist diseases (nerve gas, mustard, lewisite, phosgene, chlorine.Results: 160 doctors participated in this study. 96 people (60% were men and 64 people (40% were women. The average age of the participants was 36.2±5.5 years. In e-learning method, the pre-test scores average was (30.6%, while the post-test scores average was (81.6% (p=0.001. In classroom learning method, the pre-test scores average was (41.9%, while the post-test scores average was (72.9%, which the pre-test and post-test scores average differences in both cases are significant (p<0.001. In e-learning method, the difference was (51%, and in the classroom method it was (31%, which these two represent a 20% difference between methods. From statistical point of view, this difference indicates that the e-learning method being more effective (p=0.02.Conclusions: Based on the study results, it seems that in comparison to the classroom learning, e-learning method is more effective in helping emergency physicians to diagnose bioterrorism or chemical terrorism factors.Keywords: E

Justification: How to get referring physicians involved

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remedios, D.

2011-01-01

Barriers to involvement of clinicians in the process of justification include an already overloaded knowledge base, lack of time, inconsistent guidance and disproportionate patient expectations. Strategies to improve referring physicians' input include education, use of imaging referral guidelines, clinical audit and regulation. This article discusses and reviews evidence for approaches to encourage greater participation in justification by clinicians. Approaches are best summarised by 'Awareness, appropriateness and audit'. (authors)

Cigarette Smoking and Anti-Smoking Counseling Practices among Physicians in Wuhan, China

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Gong, Jie; Zhang, Zhifeng; Zhu, Zhaoyang; Wan, Jun; Yang, Niannian; Li, Fang; Sun, Huiling; Li, Weiping; Xia, Jiang; Zhou, Dunjin; Chen, Xinguang

2012-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to report data on cigarette smoking, anti-smoking practices, physicians' receipt of anti-smoking training, and the association between receipt of the training and anti-smoking practice among physicians in Wuhan, China. Design/methodology/approach: Participants were selected through the stratified random sampling method.…

HIPAA for physicians in the information age.

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Kavoussi, Shaheen C; Huang, John J; Tsai, James C; Kempton, James E

2014-08-01

The increased prominence of electronic health records, email, mobile devices, and social media has transformed the health care environment by providing both physicians and patients with opportunities for rapid communication and knowledge exchange. However, these technological advances require increased attention to patient privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Instant access to large amounts of electronic protected health information (PHI) merits the highest standard of network security and HIPAA training for all staff members. Physicians are responsible for protecting PHI stored on portable devices. Personal, residential, and public wireless connections are not certified with HIPAA-compliant Business Associate Agreements and are unsuitablefor PHI. A professional and privacy-oriented approach to electronic communication, online activity, and social media is imperative to maintaining public trust in physician integrity. As new technologies are integrated into health care practice, the assurance of privacy will encourage patients to continue to seek medical care.

The effect of professional identity on comprehensiveness in strategic decision making: physician executives in the Canadian health care context.

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Karmali, Shazia

2012-01-01

This paper explores differences in decision-making approaches between physician executives and nonphysician executives in a managerial setting. Fredrickson and Mitchell's (1984) conceptualization of the construct of comprehensiveness in strategic decision making is the central construct of this paper. Theories of professional identity, socialization, and institutional/dominant logics are applied to illustrate their impact on strategic decision-making approaches of physician and nonphysician executives. This paper proposes that high-status professionals, specifically physicians, occupying senior management roles are likely to approach decision making in a way that is consistent with their professional identity, and by extension, that departments led by physician executives are less likely to exhibit comprehensiveness in strategic decision-making processes than departments led by nonphysician executives. This paper provides conceptual evidence that physicians and nonphysicians approach management differently, and introduces the utility of comprehensiveness as a construct for strategic decision making in the context of health care management.

How do physicians discuss e-health with patients? the relationship of physicians' e-health beliefs to physician mediation styles.

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Fujioka, Yuki; Stewart, Erin

2013-01-01

A survey of 104 physicians examined the role of physicians' evaluation of the quality of e-health and beliefs about the influence of patients' use of e-health in how physicians discuss e-health materials with patients. Physicians' lower (poor) evaluation of the quality of e-health content predicted more negative mediation (counter-reinforcement of e-health content). Perceived benefits of patients' e-health use predicted more positive (endorsement of e-health content). Physician's perceived concerns (negative influence) regarding patients' e-health use were not a significant predictor for their mediation styles. Results, challenging the utility of restrictive mediation, suggested reconceptualizing it as redirective mediation in a medical interaction. The study suggested that patient-generated e-health-related inquiries invite physician mediation in medical consultations. Findings and implications are discussed in light of the literature of physician-patient interaction, incorporating the theory of parental mediation of media into a medical context.

42 CFR 415.172 - Physician fee schedule payment for services of teaching physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... teaching physicians. 415.172 Section 415.172 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES... PROVIDERS, SUPERVISING PHYSICIANS IN TEACHING SETTINGS, AND RESIDENTS IN CERTAIN SETTINGS Physician Services in Teaching Settings § 415.172 Physician fee schedule payment for services of teaching physicians. (a...

Physician referral patterns and racial disparities in total hip replacement: A network analysis approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan M K Ghomrawi

Full Text Available Efforts to reduce racial disparities in total hip replacement (THR have focused mainly on patient behaviors. While these efforts are no doubt important, they ignore the potentially important role of provider- and system-level factors, which may be easier to modify. We aimed to determine whether the patterns of interaction among physicians around THR episodes differ in communities with low versus high concentrations of black residents.We analyzed national Medicare claims from 2008 to 2011, identifying all fee-for-service beneficiaries who underwent THR. Based on physician encounter data, we then mapped the physician referral networks at the hospitals where beneficiaries' procedures were performed. Next, we measured two structural properties of these networks that could affect care coordination and information sharing: clustering, and the number of external ties. Finally, we estimated multivariate regression models to determine the relationship between the concentration of black residents in the community [as measured by the hospital service area (HSA] served by a given network and each of these 2 network properties.Our sample included 336,506 beneficiaries (mean age 76.3 ± SD, 63.1% of whom were women. HSAs with higher concentrations of black residents tended to be more impoverished than those with lower concentrations. While HSAs with higher concentrations of black residents had, on average, more acute care beds and medical specialists, they had fewer surgeons per capita than those with lower concentrations. After adjusting for these differences, we found that HSAs with higher concentrations of black residents were served by physician referral networks that had significantly higher within-network clustering but fewer external ties.We observed differences in the patterns of interaction among physicians around THR episodes in communities with low versus high concentrations of black residents. Studies investigating the impact of these differences

Generational differences in factors influencing physicians to choose a work location.

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Mathews, M; Seguin, M; Chowdhury, N; Card, R T

2012-01-01

Canadian medical schools have increased enrolment and recruited more rural students in an effort to address general and rural physician shortages. The success of this approach depends on the recruitment of these newly trained physicians to under-serviced areas. Studies from North America suggest that the career expectations and practice patterns of younger, more recently graduated physicians differ from those of their older counterparts. This study explored the factors that influenced the work location choices of physicians of differing generations, who trained at universities in Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador, two Canadian provinces with large rural populations and no community larger than 235 000 population. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with physicians who graduated from either the Memorial University of Newfoundland or the University of Saskatchewan. Generation definitions were based on the graduation year. Early-career physicians graduated between 1995 and 1999; mid-career physician graduated between 1985 and 1989; late-career physicians graduated between 1975 and 1979; and end-career physicians graduated between 1965 and 1969. Each physician was asked questions about the number and nature of work location changes over the course of their careers and the factors related to their decision to choose each location. Interview transcripts and notes were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Although the study focus was on generational differences, similarities and differences between universities, sexes and specialties (family physicians/GPs vs specialists) were also examined. Recruitment to the provinces was focused on as a whole, because the largest communities in the provinces are small compared with most urban communities. Forty-eight physicians were interviewed, five to nine physicians who graduated in each decade and from each university. The desire to be near family and friends was cited as the primary

Physicians' Professionally Responsible Power: A Core Concept of Clinical Ethics.

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McCullough, Laurence B

2016-02-01

The gathering of power unto themselves by physicians, a process supported by evidence-based practice, clinical guidelines, licensure, organizational culture, and other social factors, makes the ethics of power--the legitimation of physicians' power--a core concept of clinical ethics. In the absence of legitimation, the physician's power over patients becomes problematic, even predatory. As has occurred in previous issues of the Journal, the papers in the 2016 clinical ethics issue bear on the professionally responsible deployment of power by physicians. This introduction explores themes of physicians' power in papers from an international group of authors who address autonomy and trust, the virtues of perinatal hospice, conjoined twins in ethics and law, addiction and autonomy in clinical research on addicting substances, euthanasia of patients with dementia in Belgium, and a pragmatic approach to clinical futility. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Why physician-assisted suicide perpetuates the idolatory of medicine.

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Cherry, Mark J

2003-01-01

Adequate response to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia depends on fundamental philosophical and theological issues, including the character of an appropriate philosophically and theologically anchored anthropology, where the central element of traditional Christian anthropology is that humans are created to worship God. As I will argue, Christian morality and moral epistemology must be nested within and understood through this background Christian anthropology. As a result, I will argue that physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia can only be one-sidedly and inadequately appreciated through rational appeal to central values, such as "human dignity" and "self determination", or through "sola scriptura" biblical interpretation, or individual judgments of conscience. Adequately addressing physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia will depend on a more fundamental spiritual-therapeutic approach. This cluster of moral, epistemological, anthropological, and bioethical claims will be explored by drawing on the texts of St. Basil the Great, St. Maximos the Confessor, and St. Isaac the Syrian. Their reflections on medicine, the human good, and its relationship to worship, spiritual therapy, and God will be used as a basis to indicate a broader philosophical perspective, which will be needed to avoid a one-sided, incomplete approach to the challenges of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Medical morality, I argue, is best understood within categories that transcend the right, the good, the just, and the virtuous; namely, the holy.

Female genital cutting: an evidence-based approach to clinical management for the primary care physician.

Science.gov (United States)

Hearst, Adelaide A; Molnar, Alexandra M

2013-06-01

The United States has more than 1.5 million immigrants from countries in Africa and the Middle East where female genital cutting (FGC) is known to occur. Often, FGC occurs in infancy and childhood in the countries where it is practiced, but patients of any age can present with complications. Lack of understanding of this common problem can potentially alienate and lower quality of care for this patient population. We provide an introduction to the practice of FGC and practice guidelines for the primary care physician. We reviewed original research, population-based studies, and legal research from PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL plus, PsycINFO, and Legal Trac. The terms searched included female genital cutting, female genital circumcision, and female genital mutilation alone and with the term complications or health consequences; no limit on date published. Legal databases were searched using the above terms, as well as international law and immigration law. Editorials and review articles were excluded. This review discusses the different types of FGC, important cultural considerations for physicians caring for patients with FGC, the common early and late medical complications and their management, and psychosocial issues associated with FGC. Current laws pertaining to FGC are briefly reviewed, as well as implications for patients seeking asylum status in the United States because of FGC. Finally, the article presents evidence-based, culturally sensitive approaches to discussions of FGC with girls and women for whom this is an issue. Copyright © 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physician Compare

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Physician Compare, which meets Affordable Care Act of 2010 requirements, helps you search for and select physicians and other healthcare professionals enrolled in...

Physicians Experiencing Intense Emotions While Seeing Their Patients: What Happens?

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Joana Vilela Da; Carvalho, Irene

2016-01-01

Physicians often deal with emotions arising from both patients and themselves; however, management of intense emotions when they arise in the presence of patients is overlooked in research. The aim of this study is to inspect physicians' intense emotions in this context, how these emotions are displayed, coping strategies used, adjustment behaviors, and the impact of the emotional reactions on the physician-patient relationship. A total of 127 physicians completed a self-report survey, built from a literature review. Participants were recruited in 3 different ways: through a snowball sampling procedure, via institutional e-mails, and in person during service meetings. Fifty-two physicians (43.0%) reported experiencing intense emotions frequently. Although most physicians (88.6%) tried to control their reactions, several reported not controlling themselves. Coping strategies to deal with the emotion at the moment included behavioral and cognitive approaches. Only the type of reaction (but not the emotion's valence, duration, relative control, or coping strategies used) seemed to affect the physician-patient relationship. Choking-up/crying, touching, smiling, and providing support were significantly associated with an immediate positive impact. Withdrawing from the situation, imposing, and defending oneself were associated with a negative impact. Some reactions also had an extended impact into future interactions. Experiencing intense emotions in the presence of patients was frequent among physicians, and the type of reaction affected the clinical relationship. Because many physicians reported experiencing long-lasting emotions, these may have important clinical implications for patients visiting physicians while these emotions last. Further studies are needed to clarify these results.

Rural Women Family Physicians: Strategies for Successful Work-Life Balance.

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Phillips, Julie; Hustedde, Carol; Bjorkman, Sarah; Prasad, Rupa; Sola, Orlando; Wendling, Andrea; Bjorkman, Kurt; Paladine, Heather

2016-05-01

Women family physicians experience challenges in maintaining work-life balance while practicing in rural communities. We sought to better understand the personal and professional strategies that enable women in rural family medicine to balance work and personal demands and achieve long-term career satisfaction. Women family physicians practicing in rural communities in the United States were interviewed using a semistructured format. Interviews were recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed using an immersion and crystallization approach, followed by detailed coding of emergent themes. The 25 participants described a set of strategies that facilitated successful work-life balance. First, they used reduced or flexible work hours to help achieve balance with personal roles. Second, many had supportive relationships with spouses and partners, parents, or other members of the community, which facilitated their ability to be readily available to their patients. Third, participants maintained clear boundaries around their work lives, which helped them to have adequate time for parenting, recreation, and rest. Women family physicians can build successful careers in rural communities, but supportive employers, relationships, and patient approaches provide a foundation for this success. Educators, employers, communities, and policymakers can adapt their practices to help women family physicians thrive in rural communities. © 2016 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Disrespect, harassment, and abuse: all in a day's work for family physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Miedema, Baukje; Easley, Julie; Fortin, Pierrette; Hamilton, Ryan; Tatemichi, Sue

2009-03-01

To examine harassment and abusive encounters between family physicians and their patients or colleagues in the workplace. Qualitative case study using semistructured interviews. Province of New Brunswick. Forty-eight family physicians from across the province. A collective case-study approach was developed, with 24 cases of 2 individuals per case. Cases were selected based on sex, location (urban or rural), language (French or English), and number of years since medical school graduation ( 20 years). Physicians were interviewed in either French or English. Participants were recruited using the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick's physician directory. Based on the rates of response and participation, some cases were overrepresented, while others were not completed. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using a categorical aggregation approach. A coding scheme for the thematic analysis was developed by the research team before the interviews were transcribed. Although the original intent of this study was to examine the work environment of family physicians in light of the increasing number of women entering the profession, harassment and abusive encounters in the workplace emerged as a main theme. These encounters ranged from minor to severe. Minor abusive encounters included disrespectful behaviour and verbal threats by patients, their families, and occasionally colleagues. More severe forms of harassment involved physical threats, physical encounters, and stalking. Demanding patients, such as heavy drug users, were often seen as threatening. Location of practice, years in practice, and sex of the physician seemed to affect abusive encounters--young, female, rural physicians appeared to experience such encounters most often. Abusive encounters in the workplace are concerning. It is essential to address these issues of workplace harassment and abuse in order to protect physician safety and avoid workplace

Quality of physician communication about human papillomavirus vaccine: findings from a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilkey, Melissa B; Malo, Teri L; Shah, Parth D; Hall, Megan E; Brewer, Noel T

2015-11-01

Improving the quality of physicians' recommendations for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is critical to addressing low coverage. Thus, we sought to describe HPV vaccine communication practices among primary care physicians. Pediatricians and family physicians (n = 776) completed our national online survey in 2014. We assessed the quality of their HPV vaccine recommendations on strength of endorsement (i.e., saying the vaccine is important), timeliness (recommending it by ages 11-12), consistency (recommending it routinely vs. using a risk-based approach), and urgency (recommending same-day vaccination). A sizeable minority of physicians reported that they do not strongly endorse HPV vaccine (27%) or deliver timely recommendations for girls (26%) or boys (39%). Many physicians (59%) used a risk-based approach to recommending HPV vaccine, and only half (51%) usually recommended same-day vaccination. Overall recommendation quality was lower among physicians who were uncomfortable talking about HPV vaccine or who believed parents did not value it. Quality was higher among physicians who began discussions by saying the child was due for HPV vaccine versus giving information or eliciting questions. Many physicians in our national sample reported recommending HPV vaccine inconsistently, behind schedule, or without urgency. These practices likely contribute to under-immunization among adolescents, and may convey ambivalence to parents. As one of the first studies to assess multiple aspects of recommendation quality, these findings can inform the many state and national initiatives that aim to improve communication about HPV vaccine so as to address the persistent underuse of a powerful tool for cancer prevention. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Physician education: expansion of the radiation protection practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Classic, Kelly; Carlson, Stephanie; Vetter, Richard J.; Roessler, Genevieve

2008-01-01

Over the past several years, physician knowledge of radiation risk and risk associated with medical exams involving radiation has been studied and found deficient. In some cases, radiation risk was overestimated leading to patient anxiety. In other cases, the risk was underestimated leading to cavalier ordering of medical radiation exams. Even physicians practicing in radiology were unable to accurately assess the risk for their patients. Many of the studies concluded that more effort is needed to educate the physician community on radiation risk. Objectives of the Health Physics Society, a not-for-profit society of radiation safety professionals, include dissemination of radiation safety information and public education. In 1996, the Society launched a Web site as one method to achieve its objectives (www.hps.org). On the Web site, the initial focus was to provide radiation information resources for the public, but more recently that was expanded to include specific resources for teachers, students, legislators and regulators, and first responders. In addition to these, the Society is adding educational resources for physicians. Published studies we reviewed suggest that physician education should include information about radiation risk, radiation effects, the amount of radiation dose from medical exams, and potential doses to the concepts when a mother undergoes medical exams involving radiation. The information we provide includes these topics as well as radiation basics (radiation units, radiation terms, radiation in the environment) separated into brief educational programs (slide shows). To complement these, topical information sheets are available. Also available is a tool allowing physicians to ask individual questions of our experts about radiation, radiation exposure, and radiation risk. This approach of providing information and resources to physicians not only provides a benefit to the physician personally, but especially to his or her patients

Quality of analgesia in physician-operated telemedical prehospital emergency care is comparable to physician-based prehospital care - a retrospective longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenssen, Niklas; Krockauer, Andreas; Beckers, Stefan K; Rossaint, Rolf; Hirsch, Frederik; Brokmann, Jörg C; Bergrath, Sebastian

2017-05-08

Acute pain is a common reason for summoning emergency medical services (EMS). Yet in several countries the law restricts opioid-based analgesia administration to physicians. Telemedical support of paramedics is a novel approach to enable timely treatment under the guidance of a physician. In this retrospective observational study, conducted in the EMS of Aachen, Germany, the analgesic quality and occurrence of adverse events were compared between telemedically-supported paramedics (July-December, 2014) and a historical control group (conventional on-scene EMS physicians; January-March, 2014). pain (initial numerical rating scale (NRS) ≥5) and/or performed analgesia. Telemedically-assisted analgesia was performed in 149 patients; conventional analgesia in 199 control cases. Teleconsultation vs. Initial NRS scores were 8.0 ± 1.5 and 8.1 ± 1.7. Complete NRS documentation was carried out in 140/149 vs. 130/199 cases, p room arrival of 3.1 ± 1.7 vs. 3.3 ± 1.9 (p = 0.5229). No severe adverse events occurred in either group. Clinically relevant pain reduction was achieved in both groups. Thus, the concept of remote physician-based telemedically-delegated analgesia by paramedics is effective compared to analgesia by on-scene EMS physicians and safe.

Physicians' Perceptions on the usefulness of contextual information for prioritizing and presenting alerts in computerized physician order entry systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jung Martin

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background One possible approach towards avoiding alert overload and alert fatigue in Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE systems is to tailor their drug safety alerts to the context of the clinical situation. Our objective was to identify the perceptions of physicians on the usefulness of clinical context information for prioritizing and presenting drug safety alerts. Methods We performed a questionnaire survey, inquiring CPOE-using physicians from four hospitals in four European countries to estimate the usefulness of 20 possible context factors. Results The 223 participants identified the ‘severity of the effect’ and the ‘clinical status of the patient’ as the most useful context factors. Further important factors are the ‘complexity of the case’ and the ‘risk factors of the patient’. Conclusions Our findings confirm the results of a prior, comparable survey inquiring CPOE researchers. Further research should focus on implementing these context factors in CPOE systems and on subsequently evaluating their impact.

Designing a physician leadership development program based on effective models of physician education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, Joseph; Fassiotto, Magali; Ku, Manwai Candy; Mammo, Dagem; Valantine, Hannah

2017-02-02

Because of modern challenges in quality, safety, patient centeredness, and cost, health care is evolving to adopt leadership practices of highly effective organizations. Traditional physician training includes little focus on developing leadership skills, which necessitates further training to achieve the potential of collaborative management. The aim of this study was to design a leadership program using established models for continuing medical education and to assess its impact on participants' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and performance. The program, delivered over 9 months, addressed leadership topics and was designed around a framework based on how physicians learn new clinical skills, using multiple experiential learning methods, including a leadership active learning project. The program was evaluated using Kirkpatrick's assessment levels: reaction to the program, learning, changes in behavior, and results. Four cohorts are evaluated (2008-2011). Reaction: The program was rated highly by participants (mean = 4.5 of 5). Learning: Significant improvements were reported in knowledge, skills, and attitudes surrounding leadership competencies. Behavior: The majority (80%-100%) of participants reported plans to use learned leadership skills in their work. Improved team leadership behaviors were shown by increased engagement of project team members. All participants completed a team project during the program, adding value to the institution. Results support the hypothesis that learning approaches known to be effective for other types of physician education are successful when applied to leadership development training. Across all four assessment levels, the program was effective in improving leadership competencies essential to meeting the complex needs of the changing health care system. Developing in-house programs that fit the framework established for continuing medical education can increase physician leadership competencies and add value to health care

U.K. physicians' attitudes toward active voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickinson, George E; Lancaster, Carol J; Clark, David; Ahmedzai, Sam H; Noble, William

2002-01-01

A comparison of the views of geriatric medicine physicians and intensive care physicians in the United Kingdom on the topics of active voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide revealed rather different attitudes. Eighty percent of geriatricians, but only 52% of intensive care physicians, considered active voluntary euthanasia as never justified ethically. Gender and age did not play a major part in attitudinal differences of the respondents. If the variability of attitudes of these two medical specialties are anywhere near illustrative of other physicians in the United Kingdom, it would be difficult to formulate and implement laws and policies concerning euthanasia and assisted suicide. In addition, ample safeguards would be required to receive support from physicians regarding legalization.

Meeting the imperative to improve physician well-being: assessment of an innovative program.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Patrick M; Arnetz, Bengt B; Christensen, John F; Homer, Louis

2007-11-01

Improving physician health and performance is critical to successfully meet the challenges facing health systems that increasingly emphasize productivity. Assessing long-term efficacy and sustainability of programs aimed at enhancing physician and organizational well-being is imperative. To determine whether data-guided interventions and a systematic improvement process to enhance physician work-life balance and organizational efficacy can improve physician and organizational well-being. From 2000 to 2005, 22-32 physicians regularly completed 3 questionnaires coded for privacy. Results were anonymously reported to physicians and the organization. Data-guided interventions to enhance physician and organizational well-being were built on physician control over the work environment, order in the clinical setting, and clinical meaning. Questionnaires included an ACP/ASIM survey on physician satisfaction, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Quality Work Competence (QWC) survey. Emotional and work-related exhaustion decreased significantly over the study period (MBI, p = 0.002; QWC, p = 0.035). QWC measures of organizational health significantly improved initially and remained acceptable and stable during the rest of the study. A data-guided program on physician well-being, using validated instruments and process improvement methods, enhanced physician and organizational well-being. Given the increases in physician burnout, organizations are encouraged to urgently create individual and systems approaches to lessen burnout risk.

A quality-driven physician compensation model: four-year follow-up study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Richard S; Chernicoff, Helen O; Nakao, Kimberly A; Nickel, Robert C; Legorreta, Antonio P

2003-01-01

This case report describes a qualitative and preliminary quantitative assessment of a quality-based physician compensation program. The Hawaii Medical Service Association's Physician Quality and Service Recognition program offers an innovative and effective approach for improving delivery of high-quality and cost-effective care to patients enrolled in preferred provider organizations. Support for the program is demonstrated through increasing numbers of voluntarily participating physicians. Preliminary assessment of population outcomes reveals sustained improvements in many clinical areas and mixed findings in others. This study contributes to the body of knowledge available to payers and policy makers considering alternative payment methods to reward improved performance.

Social media and physicians: Exploring the benefits and challenges.

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Panahi, Sirous; Watson, Jason; Partridge, Helen

2016-06-01

Healthcare professionals' use of social media platforms, such as blogs, wikis, and social networking web sites has grown considerably in recent years. However, few studies have explored the perspectives and experiences of physicians in adopting social media in healthcare. This article aims to identify the potential benefits and challenges of adopting social media by physicians and demonstrates this by presenting findings from a survey conducted with physicians. A qualitative survey design was employed to achieve the research goal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 physicians from around the world who were active users of social media. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. The study revealed six main reasons and six major challenges for physicians adopting social media. The main reasons to join social media were as follows: staying connected with colleagues, reaching out and networking with the wider community, sharing knowledge, engaging in continued medical education, benchmarking, and branding. The main challenges of adopting social media by physicians were also as follows: maintaining confidentiality, lack of active participation, finding time, lack of trust, workplace acceptance and support, and information anarchy. By revealing the main benefits as well as the challenges of adopting social media by physicians, the study provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals to better understand the scope and impact of social media in healthcare, and assists them to adopt and harness social media effectively, and maximize the benefits for the specific needs of the clinical community. © The Author(s) 2014.

Physician heal thyself

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Compared to overweight or obese physicians, normal‑weight physicians were significantly more likely to discuss weight loss with their obese patients, according to a study among. 500 primary care physicians, undertaken by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.[4]. A recent, highly accessed ...

Chronic Pain, Patient-Physician Engagement, and Family Communication Associated With Drug-Using HIV Patients' Discussing Advanced Care Planning With Their Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Eric D; Mitchell, Mary M; Smith, Tom; Hutton, Nancy; Keruly, Jeanne; Knowlton, Amy R

2017-10-01

In the era of effective antiretroviral therapy, persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are living longer, transforming HIV into a serious chronic illness, warranting patient-provider discussion about advanced care planning (ACP). Evidence is needed to inform physicians on how to approach ACP for these patients. Chronic pain is common in PLWHA, particularly in those who have substance use disorders; although it is known that this population is at risk for poorer patient-physician engagement, the effects on ACP are unknown. To further characterize factors associated with successful ACP in PLWHA, we examined associations between patient-physician relationship, chronic pain, family communication and problem-solving skills, and rates of patients discussing ACP with their physicians. Data were from the Affirm Care study (N = 325), which examined social and environmental factors associated with health outcomes among PLWHA and their informal caregivers. In multivariate analysis, higher odds of patient reports of discussing ACP with their physicians were associated with their higher rating of their relationship with their physician (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.73; P family arguments about end-of-life medical decisions (AOR 2.43; P family members about problems (AOR 1.33; P family communication and family problem-solving skills. The findings also suggest that PLWHA with chronic pain and prior family discord over end-of-life medical decisions may be primed for ACP. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iranian Physicians' Perspectives Regarding Nurse-Physician Professional Communication: Implications for Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaeilpour-Bandboni, Mohammad; Vaismoradi, Mojtaba; Salsali, Mahvash; Snelgrove, Sherrill; Sheldon, Lisa Kennedy

2017-08-01

Nurse-physician professional communication affects the effectiveness and performance of the health care team and the quality of care delivered to the patient. This study aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of physicians on nurse-physician professional communication in an urban area of Iran. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 physicians selected using a purposive sampling method. Physicians from different medical specialties were chosen from 4 teaching hospitals in an urban area of Iran. The data were analyzed with content analysis and themes developed. Three themes developed during data analysis: "seeking the formal methods of communication to ensure patient care," "nurses' professional attributes for professional communication," and "patients' health conditions as the mediators of professional communication." Nurses need to be informed of the perspectives and experiences of physicians on professional communication. Our findings can improve nurses' understandings of professional communication that could inform the development of educational and training programs for nurses and physicians. There is a need to incorporate communication courses during degree education and design interprofessional training regarding communication in clinical settings to improve teamwork and patient care. Open discussions between nurses and physicians, training sessions about how to improve their knowledge about barriers to and facilitators of effective professional communication, and key terms and phrases commonly used in patient care are suggested.

An intervention to increase patients' trust in their physicians. Stanford Trust Study Physician Group.

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Thom, D H; Bloch, D A; Segal, E S

1999-02-01

To investigate the effect of a one-day workshop in which physicians were taught trust-building behaviors on their patients' levels of trust and on outcomes of care. In 1994, the study recruited 20 community-based family physicians and enrolled 412 consecutive adult patients from those physicians' practices. Ten of the physicians (the intervention group) were randomly assigned to receive a one-day training course in building and maintaining patients' trust. Outcomes were patients' trust in their physicians, patients' and physicians' satisfaction with the office visit, continuity in the patient-physician relationship, patients' adherence to their treatment plans, and the numbers of diagnostic tests and referrals. Physicians and patients in the intervention and control groups were similar in demographic and other data. There was no significant difference in any outcome. Although their overall ratings were not statistically significantly different, the patients of physicians in the intervention group reported more positive physician behaviors than did the patients of physicians in the control group. The trust-building workshop had no measurable effect on patients' trust or on outcomes hypothesized to be related to trust.

Physician Appraisals: Key Challenges

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Klich Jacek

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the article is to identify key criteria being used for physician appraisals and to find how communication skills of physicians are valued in those appraisals. ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost databases were used for this search. The results show that a physician appraisal is underestimated both theoretically and empirically. The particular gap exists with respect to the communication skills of physicians, which are rarely present in medical training syllabi and physician assessments. The article contributes to the theoretical discourse on physician appraisals and points out at the inconsistency between the high status of physicians as a key hospital resource on the one hand and, on the other hand, at inadequate and poorly researched assessment of their performance with a special emphasis on communication skills. The article may inspire health managers to develop and implement up-to-date assessment forms for physicians and good managerial practices in this respect in hospitals and other health care units.

Understanding the barriers to physician error reporting and disclosure: a systemic approach to a systemic problem.

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Perez, Bianca; Knych, Stephen A; Weaver, Sallie J; Liberman, Aaron; Abel, Eileen M; Oetjen, Dawn; Wan, Thomas T H

2014-03-01

The issues of medical errors and medical malpractice have stimulated significant interest in establishing transparency in health care, in other words, ensuring that medical professionals formally report medical errors and disclose related outcomes to patients and families. However, research has amply shown that transparency is not a universal practice among physicians. A review of the literature was carried out using the search terms "transparency," "patient safety," "disclosure," "medical error," "error reporting," "medical malpractice," "doctor-patient relationship," and "physician" to find articles describing physician barriers to transparency. The current literature underscores that a complex Web of factors influence physician reluctance to engage in transparency. Specifically, 4 domains of barriers emerged from this analysis: intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and societal. Transparency initiatives will require vigorous, interdisciplinary efforts to address the systemic and pervasive nature of the problem. Several ethical and social-psychological barriers suggest that medical schools and hospitals should collaborate to establish continuity in education and ensure that knowledge acquired in early education is transferred into long-term learning. At the institutional level, practical and cultural barriers suggest the creation of supportive learning environments and private discussion forums where physicians can seek moral support in the aftermath of an error. To overcome resistance to culture transformation, incremental change should be considered, for example, replacing arcane transparency policies and complex reporting mechanisms with clear, user-friendly guidelines.

Coordination of physicians' operational activities : a Contingency perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broekhuis, Manda; van Donk, Dirk Pieter

2011-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of three different dimensions of customer-induced uncertainty and task uncertainty on the mix of physicians' coordination practices. Design/methodology/approach - An improvement and research project are combined resulting in 16 case

Effect of evidence-based approach on the customer orientation (Case study: Physicians Health Centers in Isfahan province in 2014)

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Esfahani, NG; Maharati, Y

2015-01-01

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to examine the approach, based on evidence to customer-orientation attending physicians in the region, them being the subject collection. Research method: This is a definitive-analytic and cross-sectional configuration, which was completed in 2014. The statistical community in this research consists of 212 doctors in the healthcare hubs. The working physicians chose 200 patients by means of a simple accidental sampling. The analysis means was the researcher built survey whose efficacy and reliability were verified. In this research, the fundamental equation design and partial least square technique were applied to examine the presumptions and fitness pattern and the structural design was agreed as adequate. Findings: The outcomes showed four cases linked to the character, a behavior which was meant to treat; traditional origins of evidence were employed to retrieve data based on the reliable evidence and the shortage of limitations to the performance of client orientation strategy of evidence-based influences were meaningful. Two ranges of the doctor's information, the absence of restrictions, and the finding of the sign of dimensions about the client orientation approach were according to the evidence that had no meaningful influence. Conclusion: The utilization of evidence-based training not only increased awareness, character, and abilities of the doctors but also allowed them to answer to the requirements of clients in choosing excellent decisions and presenting a better quality of healthcare, by decreasing treatment prices for patients, bringing satisfaction of patients, and finally having a better effectiveness for patients and institutions. PMID:28316691

Physicians' perspectives of managing tensions around dimensions of effective communication in the emergency department.

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Dean, Marleah; Oetzel, John G

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore emergency department (ED) physicians' perspectives of guidelines for effective communication. More specifically, the ways in which physicians manage the tensions among effective communication dimensions framed by relational dialectics theory are examined. This study used in-depth interviews with 17 ED physicians and 70 hours of observations to identify five dimensions of effective communication: efficiency, clarity/accuracy, relevance, comprehension, and rapport. Two communication tensions resulted from these dimensions: efficiency versus rapport and efficiency versus comprehension. In almost all instances, physicians chose efficient communication at the expense of comprehension or rapport. In addition, there was a tension between patient and physician perspectives of clarity and relevance that physicians tended to resolve by emphasizing what was relevant and clear from their own perspective. Implications for managing tensions in terms of efficiency and a physician-centered approach are discussed.

Physicians and euthanasia: a Canadian print-media discourse analysis of physician perspectives.

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Wright, David Kenneth; Fishman, Jennifer R; Karsoho, Hadi; Sandham, Sarah; Macdonald, Mary Ellen

2015-01-01

Recent events in Canada have mobilized public debate concerning the controversial issue of euthanasia. Physicians represent an essential stakeholder group with respect to the ethics and practice of euthanasia. Further, their opinions can hold sway with the public, and their public views about this issue may further reflect back upon the medical profession itself. We conducted a discourse analysis of print media on physicians' perspectives about end-of-life care. Print media, in English and French, that appeared in Canadian newspapers from 2008 to 2012 were retrieved through a systematic database search. We analyzed the content of 285 articles either authored by a physician or directly referencing a physician's perspective. We identified 3 predominant discourses about physicians' public views toward euthanasia: 1) contentions about integrating euthanasia within the basic mission of medicine, 2) assertions about whether euthanasia can be distinguished from other end-of-life medical practices and 3) palliative care advocacy. Our data showed that although some medical professional bodies appear to be supportive in the media of a movement toward the legalization of euthanasia, individual physicians are represented as mostly opposed. Professional physician organizations and the few physicians who have engaged with the media are de facto representing physicians in public contemporary debates on medical aid in dying, in general, and euthanasia, in particular. It is vital for physicians to be aware of this public debate, how they are being portrayed within it and its potential effects on impending changes to provincial and national policies.

Cutting out the middlemen: physicians as providers, direct contractors, and payers. Interview by Donna Vavala.

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Murtagh, D S

1995-07-01

While many physicians and physician groups are forging alliances with other groups, with hospitals, and with other elements of the health care delivery system, an Ohio group decided that the loss of autonomy involved in these approaches was not acceptable. Instead, the group became the core of a new entity aimed at restoring physician control over the provision of and payment for health care services. In an interview with the principal of the new organization, Physician Executive learned the basis for the venture.

End-of-life care beliefs among Hindu physicians in the United States.

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Ramalingam, Vijaya Sivalingam; Saeed, Fahad; Sinnakirouchenan, Ramapriya; Holley, Jean L; Srinivasan, Sinnakirouchenan

2015-02-01

Several studies from the United States and Europe showed that physicians' religiosity is associated with their approach to end-of-life care beliefs. No such studies have focused exclusively on Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. A 34-item questionnaire was sent to 293 Hindu physicians in the United States. Most participants believed that their religious beliefs do not influence their practice of medicine and do not interfere with withdrawal of life support. The US practice of discussing end-of-life issues with the patient, rather than primarily with the family, seems to have been adopted by Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. It is likely that the ethical, cultural, and patient-centered environment of US health care has influenced the practice of end-of-life care by Hindu physicians in this country. © The Author(s) 2013.

The effects of health information technology adoption and hospital-physician integration on hospital efficiency.

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Cho, Na-Eun; Chang, Jongwha; Atems, Bebonchu

2014-11-01

To determine the impact of health information technology (HIT) adoption and hospital-physician integration on hospital efficiency. Using 2010 data from the American Hospital Association's (AHA) annual survey, the AHA IT survey, supplemented by the CMS Case Mix Index, and the US Census Bureau's small area income and poverty estimates, we examined how the adoption of HIT and employment of physicians affected hospital efficiency and whether they were substitutes or complements. The sample included 2173 hospitals. We employed a 2-stage approach. In the first stage, data envelopment analysis was used to estimate technical efficiency of hospitals. In the second stage, we used instrumental variable approaches, notably 2-stage least squares and the generalized method of moments, to examine the effects of IT adoption and integration on hospital efficiency. We found that HIT adoption and hospital-physician integration, when considered separately, each have statistically significant positive impacts on hospital efficiency. Also, we found that hospitals that adopted HIT with employed physicians will achieve less efficiency compared with hospitals that adopted HIT without employed physicians. Although HIT adoption and hospital-physician integration both seem to be key parts of improving hospital efficiency when one or the other is utilized individually, they can hurt hospital efficiency when utilized together.

Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians.

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Eyal, Nir; Cancedda, Corrado; Kyamanywa, Patrick; Hurst, Samia A

2015-12-30

Responding to critical shortages of physicians, most sub-Saharan countries have scaled up training of non-physician clinicians (NPCs), resulting in a gradual but decisive shift to NPCs as the cornerstone of healthcare delivery. This development should unfold in parallel with strategic rethinking about the role of physicians and with innovations in physician education and in-service training. In important ways, a growing number of NPCs only renders physicians more necessary - for example, as specialized healthcare providers and as leaders, managers, mentors, and public health administrators. Physicians in sub-Saharan Africa ought to be trained in all of these capacities. This evolution in the role of physicians may also help address known challenges to the successful integration of NPCs in the health system. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

The opinions and experiences of family physicians regarding direct-to-consumer advertising.

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Lipsky, M S; Taylor, C A

1997-12-01

The use of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) by pharmaceutical companies is increasing. Our study examines the opinions and experiences of family physicians concerning DTCA. A survey instrument designed to elicit the opinions, experiences, and perceptions of family physicians about DTCA was sent to a 2% (N = 880) systematic sampling of active physician members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses with t tests and chi 2 tests for independence used to examine subgroup response differences. Four hundred fifty-four (52%) physicians responded to the survey. Most physicians (95%) had encountered DTCA personally, and had been approached by an average of 7 patients over the previous 6 months with requests for specific prescription drugs. Prescription antihistamines and antihypertensive drugs were the most commonly requested. Overall, 80% of the physician respondents believed that print DTCA was not a good idea, while 84% expressed negative feelings about television and radio advertising. Both groups cited "misleading biased view" and "increased costs" as the most common disadvantages. Some reported benefits included "better informed patients" and "promoting physician-patient communication." Overall, the study group physicians had negative feelings about DTCA in both print and electronic media. Studies directly examining patient perspectives, as well as cost benefits, are necessary to test the validity of the physicians' perceptions about DTCA.

Multicriteria plan optimization in the hands of physicians: a pilot study in prostate cancer and brain tumors.

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Müller, Birgit S; Shih, Helen A; Efstathiou, Jason A; Bortfeld, Thomas; Craft, David

2017-11-06

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of physician driven planning in intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with a multicriteria optimization (MCO) treatment planning system and template based plan optimization. Exploiting the full planning potential of MCO navigation, this alternative planning approach intends to improve planning efficiency and individual plan quality. Planning was retrospectively performed on 12 brain tumor and 10 post-prostatectomy prostate patients previously treated with MCO-IMRT. For each patient, physicians were provided with a template-based generated Pareto surface of optimal plans to navigate, using the beam angles from the original clinical plans. We compared physician generated plans to clinically delivered plans (created by dosimetrists) in terms of dosimetric differences, physician preferences and planning times. Plan qualities were similar, however physician generated and clinical plans differed in the prioritization of clinical goals. Physician derived prostate plans showed significantly better sparing of the high dose rectum and bladder regions (p(D1) plans indicated higher doses for targets and brainstem (p(D1) plan comparisons physicians preferred the clinical plans more often (brain: 6:3 out of 12, prostate: 2:6 out of 10) (not statistically significant). While times of physician involvement were comparable for prostate planning, the new workflow reduced the average involved time for brain cases by 30%. Planner times were reduced for all cases. Subjective benefits, such as a better understanding of planning situations, were observed by clinicians through the insight into plan optimization and experiencing dosimetric trade-offs. We introduce physician driven planning with MCO for brain and prostate tumors as a feasible planning workflow. The proposed approach standardizes the planning process by utilizing site specific templates and integrates physicians more tightly into treatment planning. Physicians

Determinants of physician empathy during medical education: hypothetical conclusions from an exploratory qualitative survey of practicing physicians

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2014-01-01

Background Empathy is an outcome-relevant physician characteristic and thus a crucial component of high-quality communication in health care. However, the factors that promote and inhibit the development of empathy during medical education have not been extensively researched. Also, currently there is no explicit research on the perspective of practicing physicians on the subject. Therefore the aim of our study was to explore physicians’ views of the positive and negative influences on the development of empathy during their medical education, as well as in their everyday work as physicians. Method We administered a written Qualitative Short Survey to 63 physicians in seven specialties. They were able to respond anonymously. Our open-ended question was: “What educational content in the course of your studies and/or your specialist training had a positive or negative effect on your empathy?” We analyzed the data using thematic content analysis following Mayring’s approach. Results Forty-two physicians took part in our survey. All together, they mentioned 68 specific factors (37 positive, 29 negative, 2 neutral) from which six themes emerged: 1. In general, medical education does not promote the development of empathy. 2. Recognizing the psycho-social dimensions of care fosters empathy. 3. Interactions with patients in medical practice promote empathy. 4. Physicians’ active self-development through reflective practice helps the development of empathy. 5. Interactions with colleagues can both promote and inhibit empathy through their role modeling of empathic and non-empathic behavior. 6. Stress, time pressure, and adverse working conditions are detrimental to empathy development. Conclusions Our results provide an overview of what might influence the development of clinical empathy, as well as hypothetical conclusions about how to promote it. Reflective practice seems to be lacking in current medical curricula and could be incorporated. Raising physicians�

Physicians' intention to prescribe hydrocodone combination products after rescheduling: A theory of reasoned action approach.

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Fleming, Marc L; Driver, Larry; Sansgiry, Sujit S; Abughosh, Susan M; Wanat, Matthew; Sawant, Ruta V; Ferries, Erin; Reeve, Kathleen; Todd, Knox H

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rescheduled hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) in an attempt to mitigate the prescription opioid epidemic. Many in the medical and pharmacy community expressed concerns of unintended consequences as a result of rescheduling. This study examined physicians' intentions to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling using the framework of the theory of reasoned action (TRA). A cover letter containing a link to the online questionnaire was sent to physicians of the Texas Medical Association who were likely to prescribe opioids. The questionnaire assessed physicians' intentions to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling. Predictor variables included attitude toward rescheduling, subjective norm toward HCP prescribing, and past prescribing behavior of schedule II prescriptions. All variables were measured on a 7-point, Likert-type scale. Intention to prescribe as a dependent variable was regressed over TRA variables and respondent characteristics. A total of 1176 usable responses were obtained, yielding a response rate of 13.3%. Mean (M) age was 53.07 ± 11 and most respondents were male (70%) and Caucasian (75%). Physicians held a moderately positive intention to prescribe HCPs (M = 4.36 ± 2.08), held a moderately negative attitude towards rescheduling, M = 4.68 ± 1.51 (reverse coded). Subjective norm was moderately low, M = 3.06 ± 1.78, and past prescribing behavior M = 2.43 ± 1.21. The linear regression analysis indicated that attitude (β = 0.10; P = 0.006), subjective norm (β = 0.35; P < 0.0001) and past prescribing behavior (β = 0.59; P < 0.0001) were significant predictors of intention to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling. TRA was shown to be a predictive model of physicians' intentions to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling. Overall, physicians held a moderately positive intention to prescribe HCPs. Past behavior concerning schedule II prescribing was found to be the most significant predictor

Physician smoking status, attitudes toward smoking, and cessation advice to patients: an international survey.

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Pipe, Andrew; Sorensen, Michelle; Reid, Robert

2009-01-01

The smoking status of physicians can impact interactions with patients about smoking. The 'Smoking: The Opinions of Physicians' (STOP) survey examined whether an association existed between physician smoking status and beliefs about smoking and cessation and a physician's clinical interactions with patients relevant to smoking cessation, and perceptions of barriers to assisting with quitting. General and family practitioners across 16 countries were surveyed via telephone or face-to-face interviews using a convenience-sample methodology. Physician smoking status was self-reported. Of 4473 physicians invited, 2836 (63%) participated in the survey, 1200 (42%) of whom were smokers. Significantly fewer smoking than non-smoking physicians volunteered that smoking was a harmful activity (64% vs 77%; Pnon-smoking physicians identified willpower (37% vs 32%; P<0.001) and lack of interest (28% vs 22%; P<0.001) as barriers to quitting, more smoking physicians saw stress as a barrier (16% vs 10%; P<0.001). Smoking physicians are less likely to initiate cessation interventions. There is a need for specific strategies to encourage smoking physicians to quit, and to motivate all practitioners to adopt systematic approaches to assisting with smoking cessation.

Meeting the Imperative to Improve Physician Well-being: Assessment of an Innovative Program

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Arnetz, Bengt B.; Christensen, John F.; Homer, Louis

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND Improving physician health and performance is critical to successfully meet the challenges facing health systems that increasingly emphasize productivity. Assessing long-term efficacy and sustainability of programs aimed at enhancing physician and organizational well-being is imperative. OBJECTIVE To determine whether data-guided interventions and a systematic improvement process to enhance physician work-life balance and organizational efficacy can improve physician and organizational well-being. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS From 2000 to 2005, 22–32 physicians regularly completed 3 questionnaires coded for privacy. Results were anonymously reported to physicians and the organization. Data-guided interventions to enhance physician and organizational well-being were built on physician control over the work environment, order in the clinical setting, and clinical meaning. MEASUREMENTS Questionnaires included an ACP/ASIM survey on physician satisfaction, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Quality Work Competence (QWC) survey. RESULTS Emotional and work-related exhaustion decreased significantly over the study period (MBI, p = 0.002; QWC, p = 0.035). QWC measures of organizational health significantly improved initially and remained acceptable and stable during the rest of the study. CONCLUSIONS A data-guided program on physician well-being, using validated instruments and process improvement methods, enhanced physician and organizational well-being. Given the increases in physician burnout, organizations are encouraged to urgently create individual and systems approaches to lessen burnout risk. PMID:17891503

Physician-management relationships at HCA: a case study.

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Campbell, P; Kane, N M

1990-01-01

The questions of whether Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), a for-profit hospital company, fostered an environment detrimental to the physician-patient relationship during the period of implementation of the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) was explored. The transition to PPS provided an opportunity to evaluate whether hospital ownership differences affected responses to a payment system which encouraged institutional intervention in the practice of medicine. A case study approach was used to observe the influence of the then largest for-profit hospital corporation upon physicians' medical practice in four owned hospitals. Findings indicated that HCA hospital managers were most directly influenced by the local competitive environment and their own personal agendas in responding to PPS incentives. Corporate influence actually softened payment system incentives to intervene in medical practice by providing a generous supply of capital, and by fostering a corporate culture conducive to cooperative relationships with physicians. Better public understanding of the determinants of hospital behavior is needed to preserve or enhance important social goals such as the physician-patient relationship; easily measurable characteristics such as ownership or bed size explain little about hospital behavior or motivation.

Collaborating internationally on physician leadership education: first steps.

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Matlow, Anne; Chan, Ming-Ka; Bohnen, Jordan David; Blumenthal, Daniel Mark; Sánchez-Mendiola, Melchor; de Camps Meschino, Diane; Samson, Lindy Michelle; Busari, Jamiu

2016-07-04

Purpose Physicians are often ill-equipped for the leadership activities their work demands. In part, this is due to a gap in traditional medical education. An emergent international network is developing a globally relevant leadership curriculum for postgraduate medical education. The purpose of this article is to share key learnings from this process to date. Design/methodology/approach The Toronto International Summit on Leadership Education for Physicians (TISLEP) was hosted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. Of 64 attendees from eight countries, 34 joined working groups to develop leadership competencies. The CanMEDS Competency Framework, stage of learner development and venue of learning formed the scaffold for the work. Emotional intelligence was selected as the topic to test the feasibility of fruitful international collaboration; results were presented at TISLEP 2015. Findings Dedicated international stakeholders engaged actively and constructively through defined working groups to develop a globally relevant, competency-based curriculum for physician leadership education. Eleven principles are recommended for consideration in physician leadership curriculum development. Defining common language and taxonomy is essential for a harmonized product. The importance of establishing an international network to support implementation, evaluation, sustainability and dissemination of the work was underscored. Originality/value International stakeholders are collaborating successfully on a graduated, competency-based leadership curriculum for postgraduate medical learners. The final product will be available for adaptation to local needs. An international physician leadership education network is being developed to support and expand the work underway.

Associations Between Physician Empathy, Physician Characteristics, and Standardized Measures of Patient Experience.

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Chaitoff, Alexander; Sun, Bob; Windover, Amy; Bokar, Daniel; Featherall, Joseph; Rothberg, Michael B; Misra-Hebert, Anita D

2017-10-01

To identify correlates of physician empathy and determine whether physician empathy is related to standardized measures of patient experience. Demographic, professional, and empathy data were collected during 2013-2015 from Cleveland Clinic Health System physicians prior to participation in mandatory communication skills training. Empathy was assessed using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Data were also collected for seven measures (six provider communication items and overall provider rating) from the visit-specific and 12-month Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Clinician and Group (CG-CAHPS) surveys. Associations between empathy and provider characteristics were assessed by linear regression, ANOVA, or a nonparametric equivalent. Significant predictors were included in a multivariable linear regression model. Correlations between empathy and CG-CAHPS scores were assessed using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. In bivariable analysis (n = 847 physicians), female sex (P empathy scores. In multivariable analysis, female sex (P empathy scores. Of the seven CG-CAHPS measures, scores on five for the 583 physicians with visit-specific data and on three for the 277 physicians with 12-month data were positively correlated with empathy. Specialty and sex were independently associated with physician empathy. Empathy was correlated with higher scores on multiple CG-CAHPS items, suggesting improving physician empathy might play a role in improving patient experience.

Self-reported competence, attitude and approach of physicians towards patients with dementia in ambulatory care: Results of a postal survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van den Bussche Hendrik

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Caring for patients with dementia is a demanding task. Little is known as to whether physicians feel competent enough to perform this task or whether a lack of self-perceived competence influences attitudes and professional approach. Even less is known with respect to potential differences between general practitioners (GPs and specialists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interrelationship between the self-perceived competence, attitude and professional approach of physicians in ambulatory care in Germany. A further aim was to compare GPs and specialists with regard to differences in these areas. Methods A standardised postal survey was sent to 389 GPs and 239 neurologists and psychiatrists in six metropolitan areas in Germany. The 49-item questionnaire consisted of attitudinal statements to be rated on a Likert-type scale. Return rates were 54 percent for GPs and 40 percent for specialists. Statistical methods used to analyze data included correlation analysis, cluster analysis and ordinal regression analysis. Results No differences were found between GPs and specialists with regard to their general attitude towards caring for patients with dementia. Approximately 15 percent of both disciplines showed a clearly negative attitude. Self-reported competence was strongly associated with general attitude. In particular among GPs, and less so among specialists, a strong positive association was found between self-reported competence, general attitude and professional approach (e.g. early detection, active case finding and cooperation with caregivers. Differences between GPs and specialists were smaller than expected and appear to predominantly reflect task differences within the German health care system. Conclusion Training opportunities which enable in particular GPs to enhance not only their competence but also their general attitude towards dementia care would appear to be beneficial and might carry positive

Association Between Playing American Football in the National Football League and Long-term Mortality.

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Venkataramani, Atheendar S; Gandhavadi, Maheer; Jena, Anupam B

2018-02-27

Studies of the longevity of professional American football players have demonstrated lower mortality relative to the general population but they may have been susceptible to selection bias. To examine the association between career participation in professional American football and mortality risk in retirement. Retrospective cohort study involving 3812 retired US National Football League (NFL) players who debuted in the NFL between 1982 and 1992, including regular NFL players (n = 2933) and NFL "replacement players" (n = 879) who were temporarily hired to play during a 3-game league-wide player strike in 1987. Follow-up ended on December 31, 2016. NFL participation as a career player or as a replacement player. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality by December 31, 2016. Cox proportional hazards models were estimated to compare the observed number of years from age 22 years until death (or censoring), adjusted for birth year, body mass index, height, and position played. Information on player death and cause of death was ascertained from a search of the National Death Index and web-based sources. Of the 3812 men included in this study (mean [SD] age at first NFL activity, 23.4 [1.5] years), there were 2933 career NFL players (median NFL tenure, 5 seasons [interquartile range {IQR}, 2-8]; median follow-up, 30 years [IQR, 27-33]) and 879 replacement players (median NFL tenure, 1 season [IQR, 1-1]; median follow-up, 31 years [IQR, 30-33]). At the end of follow-up, 144 NFL players (4.9%) and 37 replacement players (4.2%) were deceased (adjusted absolute risk difference, 1.0% [95% CI, -0.7% to 2.7%]; P = .25). The adjusted mortality hazard ratio for NFL players relative to replacements was 1.38 (95% CI, 0.95 to 1.99; P = .09). Among career NFL players, the most common causes of death were cardiometabolic disease (n = 51; 35.4%), transportation injuries (n = 20; 13.9%), unintentional injuries (n = 15; 10.4%), and neoplasms (n = 15

Meeting physicians' needs: a bottom-up approach for improving the implementation of medical knowledge into practice.

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Vaucher, Carla; Bovet, Emilie; Bengough, Theresa; Pidoux, Vincent; Grossen, Michèle; Panese, Francesco; Burnand, Bernard

2016-07-18

Multiple barriers to knowledge translation in medicine have been identified (ranging from information overload to abstraction of models), leading to important implementation gaps. This study aimed at assessing the suggestions of practicing physicians for possible improvements of knowledge translation (KT) effectiveness into clinical practice. We used a mixed methods design. French- German- and Italian-speaking general practitioners, psychiatrists, orthopaedic surgeons, cardiologists, and diabetologists practicing in Switzerland were interrogated through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and an online survey. A total of 985 physicians from three regions of Switzerland participated in the online survey, whereas 39 participated in focus group discussions and 14 in face-to-face interviews. Physicians expressed limitations and difficulties related to KT into their daily practice. Several barriers were identified, including influence and pressure of pharmaceutical companies, non-publication of negative results, mismatch between guidelines and practice, education gaps, and insufficient collaboration between research and practice. Suggestions to overcome barriers were improving education concerning the evaluation of scientific publications, expanding applicability of guidelines, having free and easy access to independent journals, developing collaborations between research and practice, and creating tools to facilitate access to medical information. Our study provides suggestions for improving KT into daily medical practice, matching the views, needs and preferences of practicing physicians. Responding to suggestions for improvements brought up by physicians may lead to better knowledge translation, higher professional satisfaction, and better healthcare outcomes.

Integrating Doulas Into First-Trimester Abortion Care: Physician, Clinic Staff, and Doula Experiences.

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Chor, Julie; Lyman, Phoebe; Ruth, Jean; Patel, Ashlesha; Gilliam, Melissa

2018-01-01

Balancing the need to provide individual support for patients and the need for an efficient clinic can be challenging in the abortion setting. This study explores physician, staff, and specially trained abortion doula perspectives on doula support, one approach to patient support. We conducted separate focus groups with physicians, staff members, and doulas from a high-volume, first-trimester aspiration abortion clinic with a newly established volunteer abortion doula program. Focus groups explored 1) abortion doula training, 2) program implementation, 3) program benefits, and 4) opportunities for improvement. Interviews were transcribed and computer-assisted content analysis was performed; salient findings are presented. Five physicians, 5 staff members, and 4 abortion doulas participated in separate focus group discussions. Doulas drew on both their prior personal skills and experiences in addition to their abortion doula training to provide women with support at the time of abortion. Having doulas in the clinic to assist with women's emotional needs allowed physicians and staff to focus on technical aspects of the procedure. In turn, both physicians and staff believed that introducing doulas resulted in more patient-centered care. Although staff did not experience challenges to integrating doulas, physicians and doulas experienced initial challenges in incorporating doula support into the clinical flow. Staff and doulas reported exchanging skills and techniques that they subsequently used in their interactions with patients. Physicians, clinic staff, and doulas perceive abortion doula support as an approach to provide more patient-centered care in a high-volume aspiration abortion clinic. © 2018 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Clinical Databases for Chest Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Courtwright, Andrew M; Gabriel, Peter E

2018-04-01

A clinical database is a repository of patient medical and sociodemographic information focused on one or more specific health condition or exposure. Although clinical databases may be used for research purposes, their primary goal is to collect and track patient data for quality improvement, quality assurance, and/or actual clinical management. This article aims to provide an introduction and practical advice on the development of small-scale clinical databases for chest physicians and practice groups. Through example projects, we discuss the pros and cons of available technical platforms, including Microsoft Excel and Access, relational database management systems such as Oracle and PostgreSQL, and Research Electronic Data Capture. We consider approaches to deciding the base unit of data collection, creating consensus around variable definitions, and structuring routine clinical care to complement database aims. We conclude with an overview of regulatory and security considerations for clinical databases. Copyright © 2018 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discussing Benefits and Risks of Tracheostomy: What Physicians Actually Say.

Science.gov (United States)

Hebert, Lauren M; Watson, Anne C; Madrigal, Vanessa; October, Tessie W

2017-12-01

When contemplating tracheostomy placement in a pediatric patient, a family-physician conference is often the setting for the disclosure of risks and benefits of the procedure. Our objective was to compare benefits and risks of tracheostomy presented during family-physician conferences to an expert panel's recommendations for what should be presented. We conducted a retrospective review of 19 transcripts of audio-recorded family-physician conferences regarding tracheostomy placement in children. A multicenter, multidisciplinary expert panel of clinicians was surveyed to generate a list of recommended benefits and risks for comparison. Primary analysis of statements by clinicians was qualitative. Single-center PICU of a tertiary medical center. Family members who participated in family-physician conferences regarding tracheostomy placement for a critically ill child from April 2012 to August 2014. We identified 300 physician statements describing benefits and risks of tracheostomy. Physicians were more likely to discuss benefits than risks (72% vs 28%). Three broad categories of benefits were identified: 1) tracheostomy would limit the impact of being in the PICU (46%); 2) perceived obstacles of tracheostomy can be overcome (34%); and 3) tracheostomy optimizes respiratory health (20%). Risks fell into two categories: tracheostomy involves a big commitment (71%), and it has complications (29%). The expert panel's recommendations were similar to risks and benefits discussed during family conferences; however, they suggested physicians present an equal balance of discussion of risks and benefits. When discussing tracheostomy placement, physicians emphasized benefits that are shared by physicians and families while minimizing the risks. The expert panel recommended a balanced approach by equally weighing risks and benefits. To facilitate educated decision making, physicians should present a more extensive range of risks and benefits to families making this critical

The value of EHR-based assessment of physician competency: An investigative effort with internal medicine physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Venta, Kimberly; Baker, Erin; Fidopiastis, Cali; Stanney, Kay

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of developing an EHR-based model of physician competency, named the Skill Deficiency Evaluation Toolkit for Eliminating Competency-loss Trends (Skill-DETECT), which presents the opportunity to use EHR-based models to inform selection of Continued Medical Education (CME) opportunities specifically targeted at maintaining proficiency. The IBM Explorys platform provided outpatient Electronic Health Records (EHRs) representing 76 physicians with over 5000 patients combined. These data were used to develop the Skill-DETECT model, a predictive hybrid model composed of a rule-based model, logistic regression model, and a thresholding model, which predicts cognitive clinical skill deficiencies in internal medicine physicians. A three-phase approach was then used to statistically validate the model performance. Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel reviews resulted in a 100% overall approval rate of the rule based model. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves calculated for each logistic regression curve resulted in values between 0.76 and 0.92, which indicated exceptional performance. Normality, skewness, and kurtosis were determined and confirmed that the distribution of values output from the thresholding model were unimodal and peaked, which confirmed effectiveness and generalizability. The validation has confirmed that the Skill-DETECT model has a strong ability to evaluate EHR data and support the identification of internal medicine cognitive clinical skills that are deficient or are of higher likelihood of becoming deficient and thus require remediation, which will allow both physician and medical organizations to fine tune training efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Male Spouses of Women Physicians: Communication, Compromise, and Carving Out Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac, Carol; Petrashek, Kara; Steiner, Megan; Manwell, Linda Baier; Byars-Winston, Angela; Carnes, Molly

2013-01-01

As the numbers of female physicians continue to grow, fewer medical marriages are comprised of the traditional dyad of male physician and stay-at-home wife. The "two-career family" is an increasingly frequent state for both male and female physicians' families, and dual-doctor marriages are on the rise. This qualitative study explored the contemporary medical marriage from the perspective of male spouses of female physicians. In 2010, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with nine spouses of internal medicine resident and faculty physicians. Interviewers queried work-home balance, career choices, and support networks. We used an interpretive, inductive, iterative approach to thematically analyze interview transcripts and develop broad, consensus-derived themes. A conceptual framework based on three major themes emerged: "A time for us? Really?", "Supporting and protecting her, sometimes at my expense,'" and "Hers is a career, mine is a job." This framework described the inflexibility of physicians' time and its impact on spousal time, career development, and choices. Having a set time for synchronizing schedules, frequent verbal support, and shared decision-making were seen as important by the husbands of female, full-time physicians. This exploratory study examined the contemporary medical marriage from the male spouse's perspective and highlights specific strategies for success.

Job satisfaction among obstetrician-gynecologists: a comparison between private practice physicians and academic physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Darrel J; Bringman, Jay; Bush, Andrew; Phillips, Owen P

2006-11-01

Physician job satisfaction has been the subject of much research. However, no studies have been conducted comparing academic and private practice physician satisfaction in obstetrics and gynecology. This study was undertaken to measure satisfaction levels for academic and private practice obstetrician-gynecologists and compare different aspects of their practice that contributed to their satisfaction. A survey was mailed to randomly selected obstetrician-gynecologists in Memphis, TN; Birmingham, AL; Little Rock, AR; and Jackson, MS. Physicians were asked to respond to questions concerning demographics and career satisfaction. They were also asked to assess the contribution of 13 different aspects of their practice in contributing to their job selection and satisfaction using a Likert scale. A score of 1 meant the physician completely disagreed with a statement regarding a factor's contribution or was completely dissatisfied; a score of 5 meant the physician completely agreed with a factor's contribution or was completely satisfied. Simple descriptive statistics, as well as the 2-sample t test, were used. Likert scale values were assumed to be interval measurements. Of the 297 questionnaires mailed, 129 (43%) physicians responded. Ninety-five (74%) respondents rated their overall satisfaction as 4 or 5. No significant difference was found between academic and private physicians when comparing overall job satisfaction (P = .25). When compared to private practice physicians, the aspects most likely contributing to overall job satisfaction for academic physicians were the ability to teach, conduct research, and practice variety (P = .0001, P = .0001, and P = .007, respectively). When compared with academic physicians, the aspects most likely contributing to job satisfaction for private practice physicians were autonomy, physician-patient relationship, and insurance reimbursement (P = .0058, P = .0001, and P = .0098, respectively). When choosing a practice setting

'REACTS'. A pragmatic approach for providing medical care and physician education for radiation emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lushbaugh, C.C.; Andrews, G.A.; Huebner, K.F.; Cloutier, R.J.; Beck, W.L.; Berger, J.D.

1976-01-01

Because serious radiation incidents have been rare, few medical personnel (notably only some in France, Russia, Belgium, Canada, Yugoslavia, Japan, Great Britain and the United States) have first-hand experience in radiation-accident management. The generation of physicians who participated in those accidents now needs to pass on the bits of knowledge that were gleaned from them. These case histories are difficult for the local, non-radiology physician to obtain when he is called upon to help formulate the medical-emergency response plan required everywhere for licensing power reactors. The Radiation Emergency Assistance Center and Training Site (REACTS) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, supported by the US Energy Research and Development Administration, is designed to meet these medical and educational needs. REACTS, located in the Oak Ridge Hospital of the Methodist Church, is not involved in the hospital's daily community functions except insofar as REACTS is the radiation emergency arm of the area's major disaster plan. Its dual mission is training physicians, nurses, and paramedical emergency personnel in radiation-accident management, and treating irradiated and contaminated persons. Its training activities are carried out by the Special Training Division of Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Formal courses in radiation medicine and health physics and practical laboratory experience are now conducted twice a year for physicians. They will be expanded in the future to include training of paramedical personnel. Follow-up studies of radiation-accident survivors are carried out in REACTS to ensure the preservation of valuable human data and radiation-accident experiences. This unique facility and its staff are dedicated to meet the needs of the far-flung public and private medical domains in the United States for nuclear-production energy

Changing physician perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine: the need for a top-down approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MacKinnon TS

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Thomas S MacKinnon,1 Norbert F Banhidy,1 Daniel R Tuite21School of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, 2Faculty of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UKWe read with great interest the article by Patel et al1 discussing the changing perspectives towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM, and an impetus for additional physician knowledge of the strengths and drawbacks of CAM. These findings are indeed relevant in the UK, with an estimated 41.1% one-year prevalence of CAM use, responsible for an annual out-of-pocket expenditure of £1.6 billion.2 We agree that improved training and education in medical school and residencies – which can be thought of as a “bottom-up” approach – are fundamental in preparing the health care system for improved integration of CAM. However, we also suggest that “top-down” changes are required to optimize patient care.Authors' reply Sejal J Patel,1 Kathi J Kemper,2 Joseph P Kitzmiller31College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 2Center for Integrative Health and Wellness, The Ohio State Wexner University Medical Center, 3Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USAWe agree the letter is worthy of publication but have a little to add: a top-down approach (as suggested and described by the authors of the letter certainly complements the bottom-up approach (described in our article.1View the original paper by Patel et al.

Physician-patient communication in HIV disease: the importance of patient, physician, and visit characteristics.

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Wilson, I B; Kaplan, S

2000-12-15

Although previous work that considered a variety of chronic conditions has shown that higher quality physician-patient communication care is related to better health outcomes, the quality of physician-patient communication itself for patients with HIV disease has not been well studied. To determine the relationship of patient, visit, physician, and physician practice characteristics to two measures of physician-patient communication for patients with HIV disease. Cross-sectional survey of physicians and patients. Cohort study enrolling patients from throughout eastern Massachusetts. 264 patients with HIV disease and their their primary HIV physicians (n = 69). Two measures of physician-patient communication were used, a five-item general communication measure (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93), and a four-item HIV-specific communication measure that included items about alcohol, drug use, and sexual behaviors (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92). The mean age of patients was 39. 5 years, 24% patients were women, 31.1% were nonwhite, and 52% indicated same-sex contact as their principal HIV risk factor. The mean age of physicians was 39.1 years, 33.3% were female, 39.7% were specialists, and 25.0% self-identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. In multivariable models relating patient and visit characteristics to general communication, longer reported visit length (pbetter communication. The interaction of patient gender and visit length was also significant (p =.02); longer visit length was more strongly associated with better general communication for male than female patients. In similar models relating patient and visit characteristics to HIV-specific communication, longer visit length (p better communication. In multivariable models relating physician and practice characteristics to general communication no variables were significant. However, both female physician gender (p =.002) and gay/lesbian/bisexual sexual preference (p =.003) were significantly associated with better HIV

Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nir Eyal

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Responding to critical shortages of physicians, most sub-Saharan countries have scaled up training of nonphysician clinicians (NPCs, resulting in a gradual but decisive shift to NPCs as the cornerstone of healthcare delivery. This development should unfold in parallel with strategic rethinking about the role of physicians and with innovations in physician education and in-service training. In important ways, a growing number of NPCs only renders physicians more necessary – for example, as specialized healthcare providers and as leaders, managers, mentors, and public health administrators. Physicians in sub-Saharan Africa ought to be trained in all of these capacities. This evolution in the role of physicians may also help address known challenges to the successful integration of NPCs in the health system.

Apology and disclosure for physicians and medical practices: what to keep in mind.

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Wojcieszak, Doug

2013-01-01

Disclosure and apology is an important issue in healthcare, yet physicians and other healthcare professionals are still struggling to conceptualize this topic. This article will discuss how physicians and medical practices should approach disclosure with their hospital system and/or insurance company, and how they can empathize and stay connected with their patient post-event regardless of insurance coverage.

Burnout among physicians

OpenAIRE

Romani, Maya; Ashkar, Khalil

2014-01-01

Burnout is a common syndrome seen in healthcare workers, particularly physicians who are exposed to a high level of stress at work; it includes emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Burnout among physicians has garnered significant attention because of the negative impact it renders on patient care and medical personnel. Physicians who had high burnout levels reportedly committed more medical errors. Stress management programs that range from relaxation to ...

Effectiveness of a Unique Support Group for Physicians in a Physician Health Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Luis T; Candilis, Philip J; Arnstein, Fredrick; Eaton, Judith; Barnes Blood, Diana; Chinman, Gary A; Bresnahan, Linda R

2016-01-01

State Physician Health Programs (PHPs) assess, support, and monitor physicians with mental, behavioral, medical, and substance abuse problems. Since their formation in the 1970s, PHPs have offered support groups following the 12-step model for recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). However, few programs have developed support groups for physicians without SUDs. This study at the Massachusetts PHP (Physician Health Services Inc.) represents the first effort to survey physician attitudes concerning a unique support group that goes beyond classic addiction models. The group was initiated because of the observation that physicians with problems other than SUDs did not fit easily into the 12-step framework. It was hypothesized that such a group would be effective in helping participants control workplace stress, improve professional and personal relationships, and manage medical and psychiatric difficulties. With a response rate of 43% (85 respondents), the survey identified a strong overall impact of the Physician Health Services Inc. support group, identifying positive effects in all areas of personal and professional life: family and friends, wellness, professional relationships, and career. Respondents identified the role of the facilitator as particularly important, underscoring the facilitator's capacity to welcome participants, manage interactions, set limits, and maintain a supportive emotional tone. The implications for physician health extend from supporting a broader application of this model to using a skilled facilitator to manage groups intended to reduce the stress and burnout of present-day medical practice. The results encourage PHPs, hospitals, medical practices, and physician groups to consider implementing facilitated support groups as an additional tool for maintaining physician health.

Physician wages across specialties: informing the physician reimbursement debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Leigh, J Paul; Tancredi, Daniel; Jerant, Anthony; Kravitz, Richard L

2010-10-25

Disparities in remuneration between primary care and other physician specialties may impede health care reform by undermining the sustainability of a primary care workforce. Previous studies have compared annual incomes across specialties unadjusted for work hours. Wage (earnings-per-hour) comparisons could better inform the physician payment debate. In a cross-sectional analysis of data from 6381 physicians providing patient care in the 2004-2005 Community Tracking Study (adjusted response rate, 53%), we compared wages across broad and narrow categories of physician specialties. Tobit and linear regressions were run. Four broad specialty categories (primary care, surgery, internal medicine and pediatric subspecialties, and other) and 41 specific specialties were analyzed together with demographic, geographic, and market variables. In adjusted analyses on broad categories, wages for surgery, internal medicine and pediatric subspecialties, and other specialties were 48%, 36%, and 45% higher, respectively, than for primary care specialties. In adjusted analyses for 41 specific specialties, wages were significantly lower for the following than for the reference group of general surgery (wage near median, $85.98): internal medicine and pediatrics combined (-$24.36), internal medicine (-$24.27), family medicine (-$23.70), and other pediatric subspecialties (-$23.44). Wage rankings were largely impervious to adjustment for control variables, including age, race, sex, and region. Wages varied substantially across physician specialties and were lowest for primary care specialties. The primary care wage gap was likely conservative owing to exclusion of radiologists, anesthesiologists, and pathologists. In light of low and declining medical student interest in primary care, these findings suggest the need for payment reform aimed at increasing incomes or reducing work hours for primary care physicians.

The Financial and Professional Impact of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in National Football League Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Secrist, Eric S; Bhat, Suneel B; Dodson, Christopher C

2016-08-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries can have negative consequences on the careers of National Football League (NFL) players, however no study has ever analyzed the financial impact of these injuries in this population. To quantify the impact of ACL injuries on salary and career length in NFL athletes. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Any player in the NFL suffering an ACL injury from 2010 to 2013 was identified using a comprehensive online search. A database of NFL player salaries was used to conduct a matched cohort analysis comparing ACL-injured players with the rest of the NFL. The main outcomes were the percentage of players remaining in the NFL and mean salary at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years after injury. Cohorts were subdivided based on initial salary: group A, $2,000,000. Mean cumulative earnings were calculated by multiplying the percentage of players remaining in the league by their mean salaries and compounding this each season. NFL athletes suffered 219 ACL injuries from 2010 to 2013. The 7504 other player seasons in the NFL during this time were used as controls. Significantly fewer ACL-injured players than controls remained in the NFL at each time point (P negatively affected. This demonstrates the degree of negative impact these injuries have on the careers of NFL players. It also indicates that a player's standing within the league before injury strongly influences how much an ACL injury will affect his career.

Family physicians' perceptions of academic detailing: a quantitative and qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Connor Nicolette

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The efficacy of academic detailing in changing physicians' knowledge and practice has been the subject of many primary research publications and systematic reviews. However, there is little written about the features of academic detailing that physicians find valuable or that affect their use of it. The goal of our project was to explore family physicians' (FPs perceptions of academic detailing and the factors that affect their use of it. Methods We used 2 methods to collect data, a questionnaire and semi-structured telephone interviews. We mailed questionnaires to all FPs in the Dalhousie Office of Continuing Medical Education database and analyzed responses of non-users and users of academic detailing. After a preliminary analysis of questionnaire data, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 7 FPs who did not use academic detailing and 17 who did use it. Results Overall response rate to the questionnaire was 33% (289/869. Response rate of non-users of academic detailing was 15% (60/393, of users was 48% (229/476. The 3 factors that most encouraged use of academic detailing were the topics selected, the evidence-based approach adopted, and the handout material. The 3 factors that most discouraged the use of academic detailing were spending office time doing CME, scheduling time to see the academic detailer, and having CME provided by a non-physician. Users of academic detailing rated it as being more valuable than other forms of CME. Generally, interview data confirmed questionnaire data with the exception that interview informants did not view having CME provided by a non-physician as a barrier. Interview informants mentioned that the evidence-based approach adopted by academic detailing had led them to more critically evaluate information from other CME programs, pharmaceutical representatives, and journal articles, but not advice from specialists. Conclusion Users of academic detailing highly value its educational

Labelling of end-of-life decisions by physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Deyaert, Jef; Chambaere, Kenneth; Cohen, Joachim; Roelands, Marc; Deliens, Luc

2014-07-01

Potentially life-shortening medical end-of-life practices (end-of-life decisions (ELDs)) remain subject to conceptual vagueness. This study evaluates how physicians label these practices by examining which of their own practices (described according to the precise act, the intention, the presence of an explicit patient request and the self-estimated degree of life shortening)they label as euthanasia or sedation. We conducted a large stratified random sample of death certificates from 2007 (N=6927).The physicians named on the death certificate were approached by means of a postal questionnaire asking about ELDs made in each case and asked to choose the most appropriate label to describe the ELD. Response rate was 58.4%. In the vast majority of practices labelled as euthanasia, the self-reported actions of the physicians corresponded with the definition in the Belgian euthanasia legislation; practices labelled as palliative or terminal sedation lack clear correspondence with definitions of sedation as presented in existing guidelines. In these cases, an explicit life-shortening intention by means of drug administration was present in 21.6%, life shortening was estimated at more than 24 h in 51% and an explicit patient request was absentin 79.7%. Our results suggest that, unlike euthanasia,the concept of palliative or terminal sedation covers abroad range of practices in the minds of physicians. This ambiguity can be a barrier to appropriate sedation practice and indicates a need for better knowledge of the practice of palliative sedation by physicians.

Bridges to Excellence--recognizing high-quality care: analysis of physician quality and resource use.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Meredith B; de Brantes, Francois S; Sinaiko, Anna D; Frankel, Matthew; Robbins, Russell D; Young, Sara

2008-10-01

To examine whether physicians who sought and received Bridges to Excellence (BTE) recognition performed better than similar physicians on a standardized set of population-based performance measures. Cross-sectional comparison of performance data. Using a claims dataset of all commercially insured members from 6 health plans in Massachusetts, we examined population-based measures of quality and resource use for physicians recognized by the BTE programs Physician Office Link and Diabetes Care Link, compared with nonrecognized physicians in the same specialties. Differences in performance were tested using generalized linear models. Physician Office Link-recognized physicians performed significantly better than their nonrecognized peers on measures of cervical cancer screening, mammography, and glycosylated hemoglobin testing. Diabetes Care Link-recognized physicians performed significantly better on all 4 diabetes process measures of quality, with the largest differences observed in microalbumin screening (17.7%). Patients of Physician Office Link-recognized physicians had a significantly greater percentage of their resource use accounted for by evaluation and management services (3.4%), and a smaller percentage accounted for by facility (-1.6%), inpatient ancillary (-0.1%), and nonmanagement outpatient services (-1.0%). After adjustment for patient age and sex, and case mix, Physician Office Link-recognized physicians had significantly fewer episodes per patient (0.13) and lower resource use per episode (dollars 130), but findings were mixed for Diabetes Care Link-recognized physicians. Our findings suggest that the BTE approach to ascertaining physician quality identifies physicians who perform better on claims-based quality measures and primary care physicians who use a less resource-intensive practice style.

Physician Perspectives on Decision Making for Treatment of Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

Science.gov (United States)

Boss, Emily F; Links, Anne R; Saxton, Ron; Cheng, Tina L; Beach, Mary Catherine

2017-10-01

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in children and most commonly treated by surgery with adenotonsillectomy. We aimed to learn physician perspectives of social and communication factors that influence decision making for treatment of pediatric SDB. Purposive sampling identified 10 physician key informants across disciplines and practice settings, who participated in semistructured interviews regarding SDB care experiences and communication with parents. Interviews were analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis. Physicians provided a variety of perspectives on decision making for treatment that fell into 3 overarching themes: approach to surgery and alternatives, communication and decision making with families, and sociocultural factors/barriers to care. Perspectives were moderately heterogeneous, suggesting that individual social and relational elements may significantly influence how physicians refer patients and recommend treatment, and how parents choose surgery for this prevalent condition. These findings will inform development of culturally competent communication strategies and support tools to enhance shared decision making for physicians treating children with SDB.

Relationships of multitasking, physicians' strain, and performance: an observational study in ward physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Weigl, Matthias; Müller, Andreas; Sevdalis, Nick; Angerer, Peter

2013-03-01

Simultaneous task performance ("multitasking") is common in hospital physicians' work and is implicated as a major determinant for enhanced strain and detrimental performance. The aim was to determine the impact of multitasking by hospital physicians on their self reported strain and performance. A prospective observational time-and-motion study in a Community Hospital was conducted. Twenty-seven hospital physicians (surgical and internal specialties) were observed in 40 full-shift observations. Observed physicians reported twice on their self-monitored strain and performance during the observation time. Associations of observed multitasking events and subsequent strain and performance appraisals were calculated. About 21% of the working time physicians were engaged in simultaneous activities. The average time spent in multitasking activities correlated significantly with subsequently reported strain (r = 0.27, P = 0.018). The number of instances of multitasking activities correlated with self-monitored performance to a marginally significant level (r = 0.19, P = 0.098). Physicians who engage in multitasking activities tend to self-report better performance but at the cost of enhanced psychophysical strain. Hence, physicians do not perceive their own multitasking activities as a source for deficient performance, for example, medical errors. Readjustment of workload, improved organization of work for hospital physicians, and training programs to improve physicians' skills in dealing with multiple clinical demands, prioritization, and efficient task allocation may be useful avenues to explore to reduce the potentially negative impact of simultaneous task performance in clinical settings.

Physicians and Physician Trainees Rarely Identify or Address Overweight/Obesity in Hospitalized Children.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Marta A; Nkoy, Flory L; Maloney, Christopher G; Mihalopoulos, Nicole L

2015-10-01

To determine how frequently physicians identify and address overweight/obesity in hospitalized children and to compare physician documentation across training level (medical student, intern, resident, attending). We conducted a retrospective chart review. Using an administrative database, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention body mass index calculator, and random sampling technique, we identified a study population of 300 children aged 2-18 years with overweight/obesity hospitalized on the general medical service of a tertiary care pediatric hospital. We reviewed admission, progress, and discharge notes to determine how frequently physicians and physician trainees identified (documented in history, physical exam, or assessment) and addressed (documented in hospital or discharge plan) overweight/obesity. Physicians and physician trainees identified overweight/obesity in 8.3% (n = 25) and addressed it in 4% (n = 12) of 300 hospitalized children with overweight/obesity. Interns were most likely to document overweight/obesity in history (8.3% of the 266 patients they followed). Attendings were most likely to document overweight/obesity in physical examination (8.3%), assessment (4%), and plan (4%) of the 300 patients they followed. Medical students were least likely to document overweight/obesity including it in the assessment (0.4%) and plan (0.4%) of the 244 hospitalized children with overweight/obesity they followed. Physicians and physician trainees rarely identify or address overweight/obesity in hospitalized children. This represents a missed opportunity for both patient care and physician trainee education. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavior Modification: A Patient and Physician's Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Elizabeth; Primack, Craig

2017-03-01

This article, co-authored by a patient affected by obesity and an obesity medicine specialist, discusses the patient's experience of living with the disease and using many different weight loss approaches until finding a lifestyle program that was appropriate for her metabolism. The physician discusses the scientific basis of insulin resistance, and why the chosen lifestyle program worked so well for this individual.

Studying physician effects on patient outcomes: physician interactional style and performance on quality of care indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Franks, Peter; Jerant, Anthony F; Fiscella, Kevin; Shields, Cleveland G; Tancredi, Daniel J; Epstein, Ronald M

2006-01-01

Many prior studies which suggest a relationship between physician interactional style and patient outcomes may have been confounded by relying solely on patient reports, examining very few patients per physician, or not demonstrating evidence of a physician effect on the outcomes. We examined whether physician interactional style, measured both by patient report and objective encounter ratings, is related to performance on quality of care indicators. We also tested for the presence of physician effects on the performance indicators. Using data on 100 US primary care physician (PCP) claims data on 1,21,606 of their managed care patients, survey data on 4746 of their visiting patients, and audiotaped encounters of 2 standardized patients with each physician, we examined the relationships between claims-based quality of care indicators and both survey-derived patient perceptions of their physicians and objective ratings of interactional style in the audiotaped standardized patient encounters. Multi-level models examined whether physician effects (variance components) on care indicators were mediated by patient perceptions or objective ratings of interactional style. We found significant physician effects associated with glycohemoglobin and cholesterol testing. There was also a clinically significant association between better patient perceptions of their physicians and more glycohemoglobin testing. Multi-level analyses revealed, however, that the physician effect on glycohemoglobin testing was not mediated by patient perceived physician interaction style. In conclusion, similar to prior studies, we found evidence of an apparent relationship between patient perceptions of their physician and patient outcomes. However, the apparent relationships found in this study between patient perceptions of their physicians and patient care processes do not reflect physician style, but presumably reflect unmeasured patient confounding. Multi-level modeling may contribute to better

Physician Burnout: Resilience Training is Only Part of the Solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Card, Alan J

2018-05-01

Physicians and physician trainees are among the highest-risk groups for burnout and suicide, and those in primary care are among the hardest hit. Many health systems have turned to resilience training as a solution, but there is an ongoing debate about whether that is the right approach. This article distinguishes between unavoidable occupational suffering (inherent in the physician's role) and avoidable occupational suffering (systems failures that can be prevented). Resilience training may be helpful in addressing unavoidable suffering, but it is the wrong treatment for the organizational pathologies that lead to avoidable suffering- and may even compound the harm doctors experience. To address avoidable suffering, health systems would be better served by engaging doctors in the co-design of work systems that promote better mental health outcomes. © 2018 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Strategies for Aligning Physicians to System Redesign Goals at Eight Safety-Net Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Zallman, Leah; Bearse, Adriana; Neal, Natasha; VanDeusen Lukas, Carol; Hacker, Karen

2014-12-01

Facing recent economic and regulatory pressures, safety-net systems (SNSs) are redesigning their organizations to improve care delivery, remain financially viable, and maintain competitive positions. Aligning physicians with redesign goals is a priority, particularly as many SNSs shift toward patient-centered, population health-focused models. No previous work has examined efforts to align physicians to safety net redesign efforts. This qualitative study, conducted at eight SNSs, examined challenges faced in a changing health care environment, as well as strategies and resources to address them. Strategies clustered in two categories: physician role definition and organizational infrastructure. Physician role definition strategies were (1) changing payment and employment arrangements, (2) changing clinical roles, (3) increasing physician involvement in quality improvement, and (4) strengthening physician leadership in clinical and quality roles. Organizational infrastructure strategies were (1) ensuring medical center leadership support and integration, (2) utilizing data to drive physician behavior, and (3) addressing competing allegiances with academia. All sites reported multifaceted approaches but differed in specific strategies employed, facilitators noted, and challenges encountered. The findings highlight the need to implement multiple strategies to align physicians in redesign efforts. They suggest that all health systems, whether SNSs or not, can capitalize on qualities of physicians and existing infrastructural and leadership elements to achieve physician alignment. However, they must contend with and address challenges of competing allegiance (for example, academic, physician organization, hospital), as well as resistance to changing clinical roles and payment structures.

Pharmaceutical industry gifts to physicians: patient beliefs and trust in physicians and the health care system.

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Grande, David; Shea, Judy A; Armstrong, Katrina

2012-03-01

Pharmaceutical industry gifts to physicians are common and influence physician behavior. Little is known about patient beliefs about the prevalence of these gifts and how these beliefs may influence trust in physicians and the health care system. To measure patient perceptions about the prevalence of industry gifts and their relationship to trust in doctors and the health care system. Cross sectional random digit dial telephone survey. African-American and White adults in 40 large metropolitan areas. Respondents' beliefs about whether their physician and physicians in general receive industry gifts, physician trust, and health care system distrust. Overall, 55% of respondents believe their physician receives gifts, and 34% believe almost all doctors receive gifts. Respondents of higher socioeconomic status (income, education) and younger age were more likely to believe their physician receives gifts. In multivariate analyses, those that believe their personal physician receives gifts were more likely to report low physician trust (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.56-3.30) and high health care system distrust (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.49-2.77). Similarly, those that believe almost all doctors accept gifts were more likely to report low physician trust (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.25-2.29) and high health care system distrust (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.82-3.62). Patients perceive physician-industry gift relationships as common. Patients that believe gift relationships exist report lower levels of physician trust and higher rates of health care system distrust. Greater efforts to limit industry-physician gifts could have positive effects beyond reducing influences on physician behavior.

Impact, regulation and health policy implications of physician migration in OECD countries

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Simoens Steven

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the face of rising demand for medical services due to ageing populations, physician migration flows are increasingly affecting the supply of physicians in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD countries. This paper offers an integrated perspective on the impact of physician migration on home and host countries and discusses international regulation and policy approaches governing physician migration. Methods Information about migration flows, international regulation and policies governing physician migration were derived from two questionnaires sent to OECD countries, a secondary analysis of EUROSTAT Labour Force Surveys, a literature review and official policy documents of OECD countries. Results OECD countries increasingly perceive immigration of foreign physicians as a way of sustaining their physician workforce. As a result, countries have entered into international agreements regulating physician migration, although their success has been limited due to the imposition of licensing requirements and the protection of vested interests by domestic physicians. OECD countries have therefore adopted specific policies designed to stimulate the immigration of foreign physicians, whilst minimising its negative impact on the home country. Measures promoting immigration have included international recruitment campaigns, less strict immigration requirements and arrangements that foster shared learning between health care systems. Policies restricting the societal costs of physician emigration from developing countries such as good practice guidelines and taxes on host countries have not yet produced their expected effect or in some cases have not been established at all. Conclusions Although OECD countries generally favour long-term policies of national self-sufficiency to sustain their physician workforce, such policies usually co-exist with short-term or medium-term policies to attract foreign physicians

Physician choice making and characteristics associated with using physician-rating websites: cross-sectional study.

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Emmert, Martin; Meier, Florian; Pisch, Frank; Sander, Uwe

2013-08-28

Over the past decade, physician-rating websites have been gaining attention in scientific literature and in the media. However, little knowledge is available about the awareness and the impact of using such sites on health care professionals. It also remains unclear what key predictors are associated with the knowledge and the use of physician-rating websites. To estimate the current level of awareness and use of physician-rating websites in Germany and to determine their impact on physician choice making and the key predictors which are associated with the knowledge and the use of physician-rating websites. This study was designed as a cross-sectional survey. An online panel was consulted in January 2013. A questionnaire was developed containing 28 questions; a pretest was carried out to assess the comprehension of the questionnaire. Several sociodemographic (eg, age, gender, health insurance status, Internet use) and 2 health-related independent variables (ie, health status and health care utilization) were included. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and t tests. Binary multivariate logistic regression models were performed for elaborating the characteristics of physician-rating website users. Results from the logistic regression are presented for both the observed and weighted sample. In total, 1505 respondents (mean age 43.73 years, SD 14.39; 857/1505, 57.25% female) completed our survey. Of all respondents, 32.09% (483/1505) heard of physician-rating websites and 25.32% (381/1505) already had used a website when searching for a physician. Furthermore, 11.03% (166/1505) had already posted a rating on a physician-rating website. Approximately 65.35% (249/381) consulted a particular physician based on the ratings shown on the websites; in contrast, 52.23% (199/381) had not consulted a particular physician because of the publicly reported ratings. Significantly higher likelihoods for being aware of the websites could be

Mental health concerns among Canadian physicians: results from the 2007-2008 Canadian Physician Health Study.

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Compton, Michael T; Frank, Erica

2011-01-01

In light of prior reports on the prevalence of stress, depression, and other mental health problems among physicians in training and practice, we examined the mental health concerns of Canadian physicians using data from the 2007-2008 Canadian Physician Health Study. Among 3213 respondents, 5 variables (depressive symptoms during the past year, anhedonia in the past year, mental health concerns making it difficult to handle one's workload in the past month, problems with work-life balance, and poor awareness of resources for mental health problems) were examined in relation to sex, specialty, practice type (solo practice vs group or other practice settings), and practice setting (inner city, urban/suburban, or rural/small town/remote). Nearly one quarter of physicians reported a 2-week period of depressed mood, and depression was more common among female physicians and general practitioners/family physicians. Anhedonia was reported by one fifth; anesthesiologists were most likely to report anhedonia, followed by general practitioners/family physicians. More than one quarter reported mental health concerns making it difficult to handle their workload, which was more common among female physicians and general practitioners/family physicians and psychiatrists. Nearly one quarter reported poor work-life balance. Lack of familiarity with mental health resources was problematic, which was more prominent among female physicians and specialists outside of general practice/family medicine or psychiatry. Mental health concerns are relatively common among Canadian physicians. Training programs and programmatic/policy enhancements should redouble efforts to address depression and other mental health concerns among physicians for the benefit of the workforce and patients served by Canadian physicians. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation into the Influence of Physician for Treatment Based on Syndrome Differentiation

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Lijie Jiang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The characteristics of treatment based on syndrome differentiation (TBSD cause great challenges to evaluate the effectiveness of the clinical methods. Objectives. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of physician to personalized medicine in the process of TBSD. Methods. We performed a randomized, triple-blind trial involving patients of primary insomnia treated by 3 physicians individually and independently. The patients (n=30 were randomly assigned to receive treatments by the 3 physicians for every visit. However, they always received the treatment, respectively, prescribed by the physician at the first visit. The primary outcome was evaluated, respectively, by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI and the TCM symptoms measuring scale. The clinical practices of the physicians were recorded at every visit including diagnostic information, syndrome differentiation, treating principles, and prescriptions. Results. All patients in the 3 groups (30 patients showed significant improvements (>66% according to the PSQI and TCM symptoms measuring scale. Conclusion. The results indicate that although with comparable effectiveness, there exist significant differences in syndrome differentiation, the treating principles, and the prescriptions of the approaches used by the 3 physicians. This means that the physician should be considered as an important factor for individualized medicine and the related TCM clinical research.

Cost consideration in the clinical guidance documents of physician specialty societies in the United States.

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Schwartz, Jennifer A T; Pearson, Steven D

2013-06-24

Despite increasing concerns regarding the cost of health care, the consideration of costs in the development of clinical guidance documents by physician specialty societies has received little analysis. To evaluate the approach to consideration of cost in publicly available clinical guidance documents and methodological statements produced between 2008 and 2012 by the 30 largest US physician specialty societies. Qualitative document review. Whether costs are considered in clinical guidance development, mechanism of cost consideration, and the way that cost issues were used in support of specific clinical practice recommendations. Methodological statements for clinical guidance documents indicated that 17 of 30 physician societies (57%) explicitly integrated costs, 4 (13%) implicitly considered costs, 3 (10%) intentionally excluded costs, and 6 (20%) made no mention. Of the 17 societies that explicitly integrated costs, 9 (53%) consistently used a formal system in which the strength of recommendation was influenced in part by costs, whereas 8 (47%) were inconsistent in their approach or failed to mention the exact mechanism for considering costs. Among the 138 specific recommendations in these guidance documents that included cost as part of the rationale, the most common form of recommendation (50 [36%]) encouraged the use of a specific medical service because of equal effectiveness and lower cost. Slightly more than half of the largest US physician societies explicitly consider costs in developing their clinical guidance documents; among these, approximately half use an explicit mechanism for integrating costs into the strength of recommendations. Many societies remain vague in their approach. Physician specialty societies should demonstrate greater transparency and rigor in their approach to cost consideration in documents meant to influence care decisions.

Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKP/PPM1F) interacts with neurofilament L and inhibits its filament association

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozaki, Hana [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Katoh, Tsuyoshi [Department of Biochemistry, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, 078-8510 (Japan); Nakagawa, Ryoko; Ishihara, Yasuhiro [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Sueyoshi, Noriyuki; Kameshita, Isamu [Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Kagawa, 761-0795 (Japan); Taniguchi, Takanobu [Department of Biochemistry, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, 078-8510 (Japan); Hirano, Tetsuo; Yamazaki, Takeshi [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Ishida, Atsuhiko, E-mail: aishida@hiroshima-u.ac.jp [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan)

2016-09-02

Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKP/PPM1F) is a Ser/Thr phosphatase that belongs to the PPM family. Growing evidence suggests that PPM phosphatases including CaMKP act as a complex with other proteins to regulate cellular functions. In this study, using the two-dimensional far-western blotting technique with digoxigenin-labeled CaMKP as a probe, in conjunction with peptide mass fingerprinting analysis, we identified neurofilament L (NFL) as a CaMKP-binding protein in a Triton-insoluble fraction of rat brain. We confirmed binding of fluorescein-labeled CaMKP (F-CaMKP) to NFL in solution by fluorescence polarization. The analysis showed that the dissociation constant of F-CaMKP for NFL is 73 ± 17 nM (n = 3). Co-immunoprecipitation assay using a cytosolic fraction of NGF-differentiated PC12 cells showed that endogenous CaMKP and NFL form a complex in cells. Furthermore, the effect of CaMKP on self-assembly of NFL was examined. Electron microscopy revealed that CaMKP markedly prevented NFL from forming large filamentous aggregates, suggesting that CaMKP-binding to NFL inhibits its filament association. These findings may provide new insights into a novel mechanism for regulating network formation of neurofilaments during neuronal differentiation. - Highlights: • NFL was identified as a CaMKP-binding protein in an insoluble fraction of rat brain. • CaMKP bound to NFL in solution with a K{sub d} value of 73 ± 17 nM. • A CaMKP-NFL complex was found in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells. • CaMKP-binding to NFL inhibited its filament association. • CaMKP may regulate network formation of neurofilaments in neurons.

Biomarker evidence of axonal injury in neuroasymptomatic HIV-1 patients.

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Jan Jessen Krut

Full Text Available Prevalence of neurocognitive impairment in HIV-1 infected patients is reported to be high. Whether this is a result of active HIV-related neurodegeneration is unclear. We examined axonal injury in HIV-1 patients by measuring the light subunit of neurofilament protein (NFL in CSF with a novel, sensitive method.With a cross-sectional design, CSF concentrations of neurofilament protein light (NFL (marker of neuronal injury, neopterin (intrathecal immunoactivation and CSF/Plasma albumin ratio (blood-brain barrier integrity were analyzed on CSF from 252 HIV-infected patients, subdivided into untreated neuroasymptomatics (n = 200, HIV-associated dementia (HAD (n = 14 and on combinations antiretroviral treatment (cART (n = 85, and healthy controls (n = 204. 46 HIV-infected patients were included in both treated and untreated groups, but sampled at different timepoints. Furthermore, 78 neuroasymptomatic patients were analyzed before and after treatment initiation.While HAD patients had the highest NFL concentrations, elevated CSF NFL was also found in 33% of untreated neuroasymptomatic patients, mainly in those with blood CD4+ cell counts below 250 cells/μL. CSF NFL concentrations in the untreated neuroasymptomatics and treated groups were equivalent to controls 18.5 and 3.9 years older, respectively. Neopterin correlated with NFL levels in untreated groups while the albumin ratio correlated with NFL in both untreated and treated groups.Increased CSF NFL indicates ongoing axonal injury in many neuroasymptomatic patients. Treatment decreases NFL, but treated patients retain higher levels than controls, indicating either continued virus-related injury or an aging-like effect of HIV infection. NFL correlates with neopterin and albumin ratio, suggesting an association between axonal injury, neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier permeability. NFL appears to be a sensitive biomarker of subclinical and clinical brain injury in HIV and warrants further

Editorial Commentary: Core Muscle Injuries or Athletic Pubalgia-Finally the Real Sausage, Not Just the Same Ole Baloney.

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Meyers, William C

2017-05-01

In their paper "Prevalence of Surgical Repair for Athletic Pubalgia and Impact on Performance in Football Athletes Participating in the National Football League Combine," Knapik et al. cut through the baloney in the literature on "sports hernia" and apply new eyes to the impact of the results of core muscle surgery on young elite athletes trying out for the National Football League (NFL). They found that the players who had surgery did just as well as all the others in and following NFL Combines. Even the players with presumptively residual, MRI findings did well. The paper is superb and identifies, in subtle ways, the importance of magnetic resonance imaging, as well as the role of experience in diagnosing and handling these injuries. The paper is a case control series that extracts tremendous beneficial information for sports physicians, athletic trainers, management, agents, players, and all of us Sunday afternoon, TV-watching football experts. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional and psychological effects of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia on participating physicians.

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Stevens, Kenneth R

2006-01-01

This is a review and evaluation of medical and public literature regarding the reported emotional and psychological effects of participation in physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and euthanasia on the involved physicians. Articles in medical journals, legislative investigations and the public press were obtained and reviewed to determine what has been reported regarding the effects on physicians who have been personally involved in PAS and euthanasia. The physician is centrally involved in PAS and euthanasia, and the emotional and psychological effects on the participating physician can be substantial. The shift away from the fundamental values of medicine to heal and promote human wholeness can have significant effects on many participating physicians. Doctors describe being profoundly adversely affected, being shocked by the suddenness of the death, being caught up in the patient's drive for assisted suicide, having a sense of powerlessness, and feeling isolated. There is evidence of pressure on and intimidation of doctors by some patients to assist in suicide. The effect of countertransference in the doctor-patient relationship may influence physician involvement in PAS and euthanasia. Many doctors who have participated in euthanasia and/or PAS are adversely affected emotionally and psychologically by their experiences.

Physicians' strikes and the competing bases of physicians' moral obligations.

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MacDougall, D Robert

2013-09-01

Many authors have addressed the morality of physicians' strikes on the assumption that medical practice is morally different from other kinds of occupations. This article analyzes three prominent theoretical accounts that attempt to ground such special moral obligations for physicians--practice-based accounts, utilitarian accounts, and social contract accounts--and assesses their applicability to the problem of the morality of strikes. After critiquing these views, it offers a fourth view grounding special moral obligations in voluntary commitments, and explains why this is a preferable basis for understanding physicians' moral obligations in general and especially as pertaining to strikes.

Team physicians in college athletics.

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Steiner, Mark E; Quigley, D Bradford; Wang, Frank; Balint, Christopher R; Boland, Arthur L

2005-10-01

There has been little documentation of what constitutes the clinical work of intercollegiate team physicians. Team physicians could be recruited based on the needs of athletes. A multidisciplinary team of physicians is necessary to treat college athletes. Most physician evaluations are for musculoskeletal injuries treated nonoperatively. Descriptive epidemiology study. For a 2-year period, a database was created that recorded information on team physician encounters with intercollegiate athletes at a major university. Data on imaging studies, hospitalizations, and surgeries were also recorded. The diagnoses for physician encounters with all undergraduates through the university's health service were also recorded. More initial athlete evaluations were for musculoskeletal diagnoses (73%) than for general medical diagnoses (27%) (P respiratory infections and dermatologic disorders, or multiple visits for concussions. Football accounted for 22% of all physician encounters, more than any other sport (P athletes did not require a greater number of physician encounters than did the general undergraduate pool of students on a per capita basis. Intercollegiate team physicians primarily treat musculoskeletal injuries that do not require surgery. General medical care is often single evaluations of common conditions and repeat evaluations for concussions.

Physician buy-in for EMRs.

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Yackanicz, Lori; Kerr, Richard; Levick, Donald

2010-01-01

Implementing an EMR in an ambulatory practice requires intense workflow analysis, introduction of new technologies and significant cultural change for the physicians and physician champion. This paper will relate the experience at Lehigh Valley Health Network in the implementation of an ambulatory EMR and with the physician champions that were selected to assist the effort. The choice of a physician champion involves political considerations, variation in leadership and communication styles, and a cornucopia of personalities. Physician leadership has been shown to be a critical success factor for any successful technology implementation. An effective physician champion can help develop and promote a clear vision of an improved future, enlist the support of the physicians and staff, drive the process changes needs and manage the cultural change required. The experience with various types of physician champions will be discussed, including, the "reluctant leader", the "techie leader", the "whiny leader", and the "mature leader". Experiences with each type have resulted in a valuable, "lessons learned" summary. LVHN is a tertiary academic community medical center consisting of 950 beds and over 450 employed physicians. LVHN has been named to the Health and Hospital Network's 100 Top Wired and 25 Most Wireless Hospitals.

Physicians' Job Satisfaction.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AmL

doctors and retention of the existing doctors, in addition to the ... an employee's well-being Examples of job resources are job ..... increase physician job satisfaction for ensuring the .... both pay and benefits physicians at private hospitals.

Physician and patient attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine in obstetrics and gynecology

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Sen Ananda

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the U.S., complementary and alternative medicine (CAM use is most prevalent among reproductive age, educated women. We sought to determine general attitudes and approaches to CAM among obstetric and gynecology patients and physicians. Methods Obstetrician-gynecologist members of the American Medical Association in the state of Michigan and obstetric-gynecology patients at the University of Michigan were surveyed. Physician and patient attitudes and practices regarding CAM were characterized. Results Surveys were obtained from 401 physicians and 483 patients. Physicians appeared to have a more positive attitude towards CAM as compared to patients, and most reported routinely endorsing, providing or referring patients for at least one CAM modality. The most commonly used CAM interventions by patients were divergent from those rated highest among physicians, and most patients did not consult with a health care provider prior to starting CAM. Conclusion Although obstetrics/gynecology physicians and patients have a positive attitude towards CAM, physician and patients' view of the most effective CAM therapies were incongruent. Obstetrician/gynecologists should routinely ask their patients about their use of CAM with the goal of providing responsible, evidence-based advice to optimize patient care.

Agreement between physicians and non-physician clinicians in starting antiretroviral therapy in rural Uganda

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Vasan Ashwin

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The scarcity of physicians in sub-Saharan Africa – particularly in rural clinics staffed only by non-physician health workers – is constraining access to HIV treatment, as only they are legally allowed to start antiretroviral therapy in the HIV-positive patient. Here we present a pilot study from Uganda assessing agreement between non-physician clinicians (nurses and clinical officers and physicians in their decisions as to whether to start therapy. Methods We conducted the study at 12 government antiretroviral therapy sites in three regions of Uganda, all of which had staff trained in delivery of antiretroviral therapy using the WHO Integrated Management of Adult and Adolescent Illness guidelines for chronic HIV care. We collected seven key variables to measure patient assessment and the decision as to whether to start antiretroviral therapy, the primary variable of interest being the Final Antiretroviral Therapy Recommendation. Patients saw either a clinical officer or nurse first, and then were screened identically by a blinded physician during the same clinic visit. We measured inter-rater agreement between the decisions of the non-physician health workers and physicians in the antiretroviral therapy assessment variables using simple and weighted Kappa analysis. Results Two hundred fifty-four patients were seen by a nurse and physician, while 267 were seen by a clinical officer and physician. The majority (> 50% in each arm of the study were in World Health Organization Clinical Stages I and II and therefore not currently eligible for antiretroviral therapy according to national antiretroviral therapy guidelines. Nurses and clinical officers both showed moderate to almost perfect agreement with physicians in their Final Antiretroviral Therapy Recommendation (unweighted κ = 0.59 and κ = 0.91, respectively. Agreement was also substantial for nurses versus physicians for assigning World Health Organization Clinical

Can outcome-based continuing medical education improve performance of immigrant physicians?

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Castel, Orit Cohen; Ezra, Vered; Alperin, Mordechai; Nave, Rachel; Porat, Tamar; Golan, Avivit Cohen; Vinker, Shlomo; Karkabi, Khaled

2011-01-01

Immigrant physicians are a valued resource for physician workforces in many countries. Few studies have explored the education and training needs of immigrant physicians and ways to facilitate their integration into the health care system in which they work. Using an educational program developed for immigrant civilian physicians working in military primary care clinics at the Israel Defence Force, we illustrate how an outcome-based CME program can address practicing physicians' needs for military-specific primary care education and improve patient care. Following an extensive needs assessment, a 3-year curriculum was developed. The curriculum was delivered by a multidisciplinary educational team. Pre/post multiple-choice examinations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), and end-of-program evaluations were administered for curriculum evaluation. To evaluate change in learners' performance, data from the 2003 (before-program) and 2006 (after-program) work-based assessments were retrieved retrospectively. Change in the performance of program participants was compared with that of immigrant physicians who did not participate in the program. Out of 28 learners, 23 (82%) completed the program. Learners did significantly better in the annual post-tests compared with the pretests (p educators, facing the challenge of integrating immigrant physicians to fit their health care system, may consider adapting our approach. Copyright © 2011 The Alliance for Continuing Medical Education, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on CME, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

The Prevalence of Burnout Among Nursing Home Physicians: An International Perspective.

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Nazir, Arif; Smalbrugge, Martin; Moser, Andrea; Karuza, Jurgis; Crecelius, Charles; Hertogh, Cees; Feldman, Sid; Katz, Paul R

2018-01-01

Physician burnout is a critical factor influencing the quality of care delivered in various healthcare settings. Although the prevalence and consequences of burnout have been well documented for physicians in various jurisdictions, no studies to date have reported on burnout in the postacute and long-term care setting. In this exploratory study, we sought to quantify the prevalence of burnout among 3 cohorts of physicians, each practicing in nursing homes in the United States (US), Canada, or The Netherlands. International comparisons were solicited to highlight cultural and health system factors potentially impacting burnout levels. Using standard survey techniques, a total of 721 physicians were solicited to participate (Canada 393; US 110; The Netherlands 218). Physicians agreeing to participate were asked to complete the "Maslach Burnout Inventory" using the Survey Monkey platform. A total of 118 surveys were completed from The Netherlands, 59 from Canada, and 65 from the US for response rates of 54%, 15%, and 59%, respectively. While US physicians demonstrated more negative scores in the emotional exhaustion subscale compared with their counterparts in Canada and The Netherlands, there were no meaningful differences on the depersonalization and personal accomplishments subscales. Factors explaining these differences are explored as well as approaches to future research on physician burnout in postacute and long-term care. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethical principles for physician rating sites.

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Strech, Daniel

2011-12-06

During the last 5 years, an ethical debate has emerged, often in public media, about the potential positive and negative effects of physician rating sites and whether physician rating sites created by insurance companies or government agencies are ethical in their current states. Due to the lack of direct evidence of physician rating sites' effects on physicians' performance, patient outcomes, or the public's trust in health care, most contributions refer to normative arguments, hypothetical effects, or indirect evidence. This paper aims, first, to structure the ethical debate about the basic concept of physician rating sites: allowing patients to rate, comment, and discuss physicians' performance, online and visible to everyone. Thus, it provides a more thorough and transparent starting point for further discussion and decision making on physician rating sites: what should physicians and health policy decision makers take into account when discussing the basic concept of physician rating sites and its possible implications on the physician-patient relationship? Second, it discusses where and how the preexisting evidence from the partly related field of public reporting of physician performance can serve as an indicator for specific needs of evaluative research in the field of physician rating sites. This paper defines the ethical principles of patient welfare, patient autonomy, physician welfare, and social justice in the context of physician rating sites. It also outlines basic conditions for a fair decision-making process concerning the implementation and regulation of physician rating sites, namely, transparency, justification, participation, minimization of conflicts of interest, and openness for revision. Besides other issues described in this paper, one trade-off presents a special challenge and will play an important role when deciding about more- or less-restrictive physician rating sites regulations: the potential psychological and financial harms for

Medical talent management: a model for physician deployment.

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Brightman, Baird

2007-01-01

This article aims to provide a focused cost-effective method for triaging physicians into appropriate non-clinical roles to benefit both doctors and healthcare organizations. Reviews a validated career-planning process and customize it for medical talent management. A structured career assessment can differentiate between different physician work styles and direct medical talent into best-fit positions. This allows healthcare organizations to create a more finely tuned career ladder than the familiar "in or out" binary choice. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS--Healthcare organizations can invest in cost-effective processes for the optimal utilization of their medical talent. Provides a new use for a well-validated career assessment and planning system. The actual value of this approach should be studied using best-practices in ROI research.

Physicians' perceptions of medical representative visits in Yemen: a qualitative study.

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Al-Areefi, Mahmoud Abdullah; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Ibrahim, Mohamed Izham b Mohamed

2013-08-20

The pharmaceutical industry invests heavily in promotion, and it uses a variety of promotional strategies to influence physicians' prescribing decisions. Within this context, medical representatives (MRs) are the key personnel employed in promoting their products. One significant consequence of the interactions between physicians and medical representatives is a conflict of interests which may contribute to the over prescribing of medications and thus negative effects on patients' health and economics. There is limited detailed information published on the reasons why physicians interact with pharmaceutical representatives. This study aims to qualitatively explore physicians' attitudes about interactions with medical representatives and their reasons for accepting the medical representatives' visits. In-depth interviews were used to gain a better understanding of physicians' perceptions of medical representative visits. A total of 32 physicians from both private and public hospitals were interviewed. The recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim and subject to thematic analysis using a framework analysis approach. The present qualitative study found that the majority of the physicians had positive interactions with medical representatives. The physicians' main reasons stated for allowing medical representatives' visits are the social contacts and mutual benefits they will gain from these representatives. They also emphasized that the meeting with representatives provides educational and scientific benefits. A few physicians stated that the main reasons behind refusing the meeting with medical representatives were lack of conviction about the product and obligation to prescribe medicine from the representative company. Most of the physicians believed that they were under marketing pressure to prescribe certain medicines. Although physicians are aware that the medical representatives could influence their prescribing decision, they welcome

Nurse-physician communication - An integrated review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Tit-Chai; Zhou, Huaqiong; Kelly, Michelle

2017-12-01

To present a comprehensive review of current evidence on the factors which impact on nurse-physician communication and interventions developed to improve nurse-physician communication. The challenges in nurse-physician communication persist since the term 'nurse-doctor game' was first used in 1967, leading to poor patient outcomes such as treatment delays and potential patient harm. Inconsistent evidence was found on the factors and interventions which foster or impair effective nurse-physician communication. An integrative review was conducted following a five-stage process: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation. Five electronic databases were searched from 2005 to April 2016 using key search terms: "improve*," "nurse-physician," "nurse," "physician" and "communication" in five electronic databases including the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. A total of 22 studies were included in the review. Four themes emerged from the data synthesis, namely communication styles; factors that facilitate nurse-physician communication; barriers to effective nurse-physician communication; and interventions to improve nurse-physician communication. This integrative review suggests that nurse-physician communication still remains ineffective. Current interventions only address information needs of nurses and physicians in limited situations and specific settings but cannot adequately address the interprofessional communication skills that are lacking in practice. The disparate views of nurses and physicians on communication due to differing training backgrounds confound the effectiveness of current interventions or strategies. Cross-training and interprofessional educational from undergraduate to postgraduate programmes will better align the training of nurses and physicians to communicate effectively. Further research is needed to determine the

Physician leadership. Learning to be a leader.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaher, C A

1996-09-01

As the business role of health care delivery expands and complex reform is imposed, physicians must assume leadership roles and imprint medical expertise on business dynamics. Before the end of this century, health care and its delivery will likely become unrecognizable to those who ended their practices only a decade ago. Traditional management will wither away to be replaced by self-managed, self-trained, and self-motivated workers, no longer employed in jobs but working through processes, projects, and assignments in integrative health care delivery systems. Becoming a leader is an active and arduous process that can no longer be approached haphazardly. To be effective, the physician must plot a course with clear and calculated intent and effort, which requires acquiring organizational tools and administrative skills to innovatively alter medical care for the good of all.

Analysis of the Role of Physicians in the Cessation of Cigarette Smoking Based on Medical Specialization.

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Dülger, Seyhan; Doğan, Canan; Dikiş, Özlem Şengören; Yıldırım, Eylem; Tapan, Utku; Özmen, İpek; Satılmış, Birsen Şahin; İntepe, Yavuz Selim; Ocaklı, Birsen; Kaçan, Cevriye Yüksel; Budak, Ersin; Yıldız, Tekin

2018-01-01

Physicians do not adequately use their unique professional privilege to prevent patients from smoking. The aim of this study was to investigate the type and extent of advice given to patients by physicians of different medical specialties regarding smoking cessation. In total, 317 volunteer physicians were included in this study. The participants rated their attitudes toward the smoking habits of their patients by completing a questionnaire. The approaches used to address the smoking habits of patients significantly differed among physicians working at polyclinics, clinics and emergency service departments (pmedical specialties significantly differed in their responses. Physicians specializing in lung diseases, thoracic surgery, and cardiology were more committed to preventing their patients from cigarette smoking. The role of physicians, particularly pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons, is critical in the fight against cigarette smoking. Promoting physician awareness of this subject is highly important in all other branches of medicine.

The physician leader as logotherapist.

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Washburn, E R

1998-01-01

Today's physicians feel helpless and angry about changing conditions in the medical landscape. This is due, in large part, to our postmodernist world view and the influence of corporations on medical practice. The life and work of existentialist psychiatrist Viktor Frankl is proposed as a role model for physicians to take back control of their profession. Physician leaders are in the best position to bring the teachings and insight of Frankl's logotherapy to rank-and-file physicians in all practice settings, as well as into the board rooms of large medical corporations. This article considers the spiritual and moral troubles of American medicine, Frankl's answer to that affliction, and the implications of logotherapy for physician organizations and leadership. Physician executives are challenged to take up this task.

The relationship between leadership and physician well-being: a scoping review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Montgomery AJ

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Anthony J Montgomery Department of Education and Social Policy, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece Abstract: To date, research has established the individual and organizational factors that impair well-being. Thus, we are aware of the organizational “cogs and wheels” that drive well-being, and there is a sense that we can potentially utilize effective leadership to push and pull these in the appropriate directions. However, reviews of leadership in health care point to the lack of academic rigor and difficulty in reaching solid conclusions. Conversely, there is an accepted belief that the most important determinant of the development and maintenance of cultures is current – and future – leadership. Thus, leadership is assumed to be an important element of organizational functioning without the requisite evidence base. Medicine is a unique organizational environment in which the health of physicians may be a significant risk factor for inadequate patient safety and suboptimal care. Globally, physicians are reporting increasing levels of job burnout, especially among younger physicians in training. Not surprisingly, higher levels of physician burnout are associated with suboptimal care for patients and medical error, as well as maladaptive coping strategies among physicians that serve to exacerbate the former. This review is a scoping analysis of the existing literature to address the central question: is there a relationship between organizational leadership and physician well-being? The objectives of the review are as follows: 1 identify the degree to which physician health is under threat; 2 ­evaluate the evidence linking leadership with physician well-being; 3 identify alternative ways to approach the problem; and 4 outline avenues for future research. Finally, enhancing progress in the field is discussed in the contexts of theory, methodology, and impact. Keywords: leadership, physician well being, burnout, healthcare

Analysis of 4999 online physician ratings indicates that most patients give physicians a favorable rating.

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Kadry, Bassam; Chu, Larry F; Kadry, Bayan; Gammas, Danya; Macario, Alex

2011-11-16

Many online physician-rating sites provide patients with information about physicians and allow patients to rate physicians. Understanding what information is available is important given that patients may use this information to choose a physician. The goals of this study were to (1) determine the most frequently visited physician-rating websites with user-generated content, (2) evaluate the available information on these websites, and (3) analyze 4999 individual online ratings of physicians. On October 1, 2010, using Google Trends we identified the 10 most frequently visited online physician-rating sites with user-generated content. We then studied each site to evaluate the available information (eg, board certification, years in practice), the types of rating scales (eg, 1-5, 1-4, 1-100), and dimensions of care (eg, recommend to a friend, waiting room time) used to rate physicians. We analyzed data from 4999 selected physician ratings without identifiers to assess how physicians are rated online. The 10 most commonly visited websites with user-generated content were HealthGrades.com, Vitals.com, Yelp.com, YP.com, RevolutionHealth.com, RateMD.com, Angieslist.com, Checkbook.org, Kudzu.com, and ZocDoc.com. A total of 35 different dimensions of care were rated by patients in the websites, with a median of 4.5 (mean 4.9, SD 2.8, range 1-9) questions per site. Depending on the scale used for each physician-rating website, the average rating was 77 out of 100 for sites using a 100-point scale (SD 11, median 76, range 33-100), 3.84 out of 5 (77%) for sites using a 5-point scale (SD 0.98, median 4, range 1-5), and 3.1 out of 4 (78%) for sites using a 4-point scale (SD 0.72, median 3, range 1-4). The percentage of reviews rated ≥75 on a 100-point scale was 61.5% (246/400), ≥4 on a 5-point scale was 57.74% (2078/3599), and ≥3 on a 4-point scale was 74.0% (740/1000). The patient's single overall rating of the physician correlated with the other dimensions of care that

ETHICAL MODELS OF PHYSICIAN--PATIENT RELATIONSHIP REVISITED WITH REGARD TO PATIENT AUTONOMY, VALUES AND PATIENT EDUCATION.

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Borza, Liana Rada; Gavrilovici, Cristina; Stockman, René

2015-01-01

The present paper revisits the ethical models of patient--physician relationship from the perspective of patient autonomy and values. It seems that the four traditional models of physician--patient relationship proposed by Emanuel & Emanuel in 1992 closely link patient values and patient autonomy. On the other hand, their reinterpretation provided by Agarwal & Murinson twenty years later emphasizes the independent expression of values and autonomy in individual patients. Additionally, patient education has been assumed to join patient values and patient autonomy. Moreover, several authors have noted that, over the past few decades, patient autonomy has gradually replaced the paternalistic approach based on the premise that the physician knows what is best for the patient. Neither the paternalistic model of physician-patient relationship, nor the informative model is considered to be satisfactory, as the paternalistic model excludes patient values from decision making, while the informative model excludes physician values from decision making. However, the deliberative model of patient-physician interaction represents an adequate alternative to the two unsatisfactory approaches by promoting shared decision making between the physician and the patient. It has also been suggested that the deliberative model would be ideal for exercising patient autonomy in chronic care and that the ethical role of patient education would be to make the deliberative model applicable to chronic care. In this regard, studies have indicated that the use of decision support interventions might increase the deliberative capacity of chronic patients.

Physician leadership in e-health? A systematic literature review.

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Keijser, Wouter; Smits, Jacco; Penterman, Lisanne; Wilderom, Celeste

2016-07-04

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on roles of physicians in virtual teams (VTs) delivering healthcare for effective "physician e-leadership" (PeL) and implementation of e-health. Design/methodology/approach The analyzed studies were retrieved with explicit keywords and criteria, including snowball sampling. They were synthesized with existing theoretical models on VT research, healthcare team competencies and medical leadership. Findings Six domains for further PeL inquiry are delineated: resources, task processes, socio-emotional processes, leadership in VTs, virtual physician-patient relationship and change management. We show that, to date, PeL studies on socio-technical dynamics and their consequences on e-health are found underrepresented in the health literature; i.e. no single empirical, theoretic or conceptual study with a focus on PeL in virtual healthcare work was identified. Research limitations/implications E-health practices could benefit from organization-behavioral type of research for discerning effective physicians' roles and inter-professional relations and their (so far) seemingly modest but potent impact on e-health developments. Practical implications Although best practices in e-health care have already been identified, this paper shows that physicians' roles in e-health initiatives have not yet received any in-depth study. This raises questions such as are physicians not yet sufficiently involved in e-health? If so, what (dis)advantages may this have for current e-health investments and how can they best become involved in (leading) e-health applications' design and implementation in the field? Originality/value If effective medical leadership is being deployed, e-health effectiveness may be enhanced; this new proposition needs urgent empirical scrutiny.

Physicians and euthanasia: a Canadian print-media discourse analysis of physician perspectives

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Wright, David Kenneth; Karsoho, Hadi; Sandham, Sarah; Macdonald, Mary Ellen

2015-01-01

Background Recent events in Canada have mobilized public debate concerning the controversial issue of euthanasia. Physicians represent an essential stakeholder group with respect to the ethics and practice of euthanasia. Further, their opinions can hold sway with the public, and their public views about this issue may further reflect back upon the medical profession itself. Methods We conducted a discourse analysis of print media on physicians’ perspectives about end-of-life care. Print media, in English and French, that appeared in Canadian newspapers from 2008 to 2012 were retrieved through a systematic database search. We analyzed the content of 285 articles either authored by a physician or directly referencing a physician’s perspective. Results We identified 3 predominant discourses about physicians’ public views toward euthanasia: 1) contentions about integrating euthanasia within the basic mission of medicine, 2) assertions about whether euthanasia can be distinguished from other end-of-life medical practices and 3) palliative care advocacy. Interpretation Our data showed that although some medical professional bodies appear to be supportive in the media of a movement toward the legalization of euthanasia, individual physicians are represented as mostly opposed. Professional physician organizations and the few physicians who have engaged with the media are de facto representing physicians in public contemporary debates on medical aid in dying, in general, and euthanasia, in particular. It is vital for physicians to be aware of this public debate, how they are being portrayed within it and its potential effects on impending changes to provincial and national policies. PMID:26389090

A role for physicians in ethnopharmacology and drug discovery.

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Raza, Mohsin

2006-04-06

Ethnopharmacology investigations classically involved traditional healers, botanists, anthropologists, chemists and pharmacologists. The role of some groups of researchers but not of physician has been highlighted and well defined in ethnopharmacological investigations. Historical data shows that discovery of several important modern drugs of herbal origin owe to the medical knowledge and clinical expertise of physicians. Current trends indicate negligible role of physicians in ethnopharmacological studies. Rising cost of modern drug development is attributed to the lack of classical ethnopharmacological approach. Physicians can play multiple roles in the ethnopharmacological studies to facilitate drug discovery as well as to rescue authentic traditional knowledge of use of medicinal plants. These include: (1) Ethnopharmacological field work which involves interviewing healers, interpreting traditional terminologies into their modern counterparts, examining patients consuming herbal remedies and identifying the disease for which an herbal remedy is used. (2) Interpretation of signs and symptoms mentioned in ancient texts and suggesting proper use of old traditional remedies in the light of modern medicine. (3) Clinical studies on herbs and their interaction with modern medicines. (4) Advising pharmacologists to carryout laboratory studies on herbs observed during field studies. (5) Work in collaboration with local healers to strengthen traditional system of medicine in a community. In conclusion, physician's involvement in ethnopharmacological studies will lead to more reliable information on traditional use of medicinal plants both from field and ancient texts, more focused and cheaper natural product based drug discovery, as well as bridge the gap between traditional and modern medicine.

Understanding the medical marriage: physicians and their partners share strategies for success.

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Perlman, Rachel L; Ross, Paula T; Lypson, Monica L

2015-01-01

Physicians and their spouses experience challenges to their relationships, some of which are shared with the general population and others of which are unique to the field of medicine. Trainees and junior faculty members remain curious about how they will balance their careers alongside marriage and family obligations. This study explores the challenges and strengths of dual- and single-physician relationships. In 2009, using appreciative inquiry as a theoretical framework, the authors conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 25 individuals: 12 women and 13 men; 10 from dual-physician and 15 from single-physician relationships. A phenomenological analytic approach was used to arrive at the final themes. Four themes emerged during the interviews: "We rely on mutual support in our relationships," "We recognize the important roles of each family member," "We have shared values," and "We acknowledge the benefit of being a physician to our relationships." These findings illustrate that physicians identify strategies to navigate the difficult aspects of their lives. Learn ing from others' best practices can assist in managing personal relationships and work-life balance. These data can also be useful when counseling physicians on successful relationship strategies. As systems are developed that improve wellness and focus on role models for work-life balance, it will be important for this topic to be integrated into formal curricula across the continuum of medical education.

The Validity of Online Patient Ratings of Physicians: Analysis of Physician Peer Reviews and Patient Ratings.

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McGrath, Robert J; Priestley, Jennifer Lewis; Zhou, Yiyun; Culligan, Patrick J

2018-04-09

Information from ratings sites are increasingly informing patient decisions related to health care and the selection of physicians. The current study sought to determine the validity of online patient ratings of physicians through comparison with physician peer review. We extracted 223,715 reviews of 41,104 physicians from 10 of the largest cities in the United States, including 1142 physicians listed as "America's Top Doctors" through physician peer review. Differences in mean online patient ratings were tested for physicians who were listed and those who were not. Overall, no differences were found between the online patient ratings based upon physician peer review status. However, statistical differences were found for four specialties (family medicine, allergists, internal medicine, and pediatrics), with online patient ratings significantly higher for those physicians listed as a peer-reviewed "Top Doctor" versus those who were not. The results of this large-scale study indicate that while online patient ratings are consistent with physician peer review for four nonsurgical, primarily in-office specializations, patient ratings were not consistent with physician peer review for specializations like anesthesiology. This result indicates that the validity of patient ratings varies by medical specialization. ©Robert J McGrath, Jennifer Lewis Priestley, Yiyun Zhou, Patrick J Culligan. Originally published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research (http://www.i-jmr.org/), 09.04.2018.

Physician assistant job satisfaction : a narrative review of empirical research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hooker, Roderick S; Kuilman, Luppo; Everett, Christine M

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: To examine physician assistant (PA) job satisfaction and identify factors predicting job satisfaction and identify areas of needed research. With a global PA movement underway and a half-century in development, the empirical basis for informing employers of approaches to improve job

How Accurate Is Diagnosis of Congenital Anomalies Made by Family Physicians?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Mashhadi Abdolahi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Although family physicians have a key role in clinical management of many diseases and in community health, the accuracy of the diagnosis for congenital anomalies by family physicians still needs more investigations. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of family physicians in case detec-tion and diagnosis of congenital anomalies in rural areas, northwest of Iran. Methods: In a community-based study of 22500 children born between 2004 and 2012, all 172 cases of congenital anomalies diagnosed by family physicians were assessed by a qualified pediatrician in 47 health houses in rural areas of Tabriz District, northwest Iran. A group of 531 children was compared as con-trol subjects. Results: The overall sensitivity and specificity of family physicians‟ diagnosis for congenital anomalies were estimated 98% (95% Confidence Interval (CI: 95.9 to 100 and 100% (95% CI: 99.3 to 100, respectively. Sensitivity for diagnosis of congenital heart diseases was 97% (95% CI: 93 to 100, and for genitourinary tract, it was 86% (95% CI: 59 to 100. Specificity was estimated 100% for both groups of heart and genitourinary tract anomalies. Conclusion: The performance of family physicians was found accurate enough in the diagnosis of congenital anomalies. Health care system may consider family physician program as an effective approach to detect and clinical management of congenital anomalies.

The Influence of Physician Communication Style on Overweight Patients’ Perceptions of Length of Encounter and Physician Being Rushed

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Gulbrandsen, Pål; Østbye, Truls; Lyna, Pauline; Dolor, Rowena J.; Tulsky, James A.; Alexander, Stewart C.; Pollak, Kathryn I.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Little is known about how patients and physicians perceive time and the extent to which they perceive the physician being rushed during encounters. One aim of this paper is to examine whether patient and physician characteristics and physician communication influence patient perception of the duration of the encounter and their perception of physicians being rushed. Another aim is to examine the relationship between patient and physician perceptions of physicians feeling rushed. METHODS We audiorecorded 461 encounters of overweight or obese patients with 40 primary care physicians and included 320 encounters in which weight was discussed. We calculated time spent with physician and coded all communication about weight using the Motivational Interview Treatment Integrity scale (MITI). Patients completed post-visit questionnaires in which they reported the estimated duration of the encounter and how rushed they thought the physician was during the encounter. Physicians reported how rushed they felt. RESULTS Patients estimated encounters to be longer than they actually were by an average of 2.6 minutes (SD=11.0). When physicians used reflective statements when discussing weight, patients estimated the encounter to be shorter than when physicians did not use reflective statements (1.17 versus 4.56 minutes more than actual duration). Whites perceived the encounter as shorter than African Americans (1.45 versus 4.28 minutes more than actual duration). Physicians felt rushed in 66% of visits; however, most patients did not perceive this. Internists were perceived to be more rushed than family physicians. CONCLUSIONS There is wide variation in patients’ ability to estimate the length of time they spend with their physician. Some physician and patient characteristics were related to patient perceptions of the length of the encounter. Reflective statements might lead patients to perceive encounters as shorter. Physicians, especially family

Should physicians have facial piercings?

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Newman, Alison W; Wright, Seth W; Wrenn, Keith D; Bernard, Aline

2005-03-01

The objective of this study was to assess attitudes of patrons and medical school faculty about physicians with nontraditional facial piercings. We also examined whether a piercing affected the perceived competency and trustworthiness of physicians. Survey. Teaching hospital in the southeastern United States. Emergency department patrons and medical school faculty physicians. First, patrons were shown photographs of models with a nontraditional piercing and asked about the appropriateness for a physician or medical student. In the second phase, patrons blinded to the purpose of the study were shown identical photographs of physician models with or without piercings and asked about competency and trustworthiness. The third phase was an assessment of attitudes of faculty regarding piercings. Nose and lip piercings were felt to be appropriate for a physician by 24% and 22% of patrons, respectively. Perceived competency and trustworthiness of models with these types of piercings were also negatively affected. An earring in a male was felt to be appropriate by 35% of patrons, but an earring on male models did not negatively affect perceived competency or trustworthiness. Nose and eyebrow piercings were felt to be appropriate by only 7% and 5% of faculty physicians and working with a physician or student with a nose or eyebrow piercing would bother 58% and 59% of faculty, respectively. An ear piercing in a male was felt to be appropriate by 20% of faculty, and 25% stated it would bother them to work with a male physician or student with an ear piercing. Many patrons and physicians feel that some types of nontraditional piercings are inappropriate attire for physicians, and some piercings negatively affect perceived competency and trustworthiness. Health care providers should understand that attire may affect a patient's opinion about their abilities and possibly erode confidence in them as a clinician.

Sex differences in physician salary in U.S. public medical schools

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Jena, Anupam B.; Olenski, Andrew R.; Blumenthal, Daniel M.

2017-01-01

Importance Limited evidence exists on salary differences between male and female academic physicians, largely due to difficulty obtaining data on salary and factors influencing salary. Existing studies have been limited by reliance on survey-based approaches to measuring sex differences in earnings, lack of contemporary data, small sample sizes, or limited geographic representation. Objective To analyze sex differences in earnings among U.S. academic physicians. Design, setting, and participants Freedom of Information laws mandate release of salary information of public university employees in several states. In 12 states with salary information published online, we extracted salary data on 10,241 academic physicians at 24 public medical schools. We linked this data to a unique physician database with detailed information on sex, age, years of experience, faculty rank, specialty, scientific authorship, NIH funding, clinical trial participation, and Medicare reimbursements (proxy for clinical revenue). We estimated sex differences in salary adjusting for these factors. Exposure Physician sex Main outcome measures Annual salary Results Female physicians had lower unadjusted salaries than male physicians ($206,641 vs. $257,957; difference $51,315; 95% CI $46,330–$56,301). Sex differences persisted after multivariable adjustment ($227,782 vs. $247,661; difference $19,878; 95% CI $15,261–$24,495). Sex differences in salary varied across specialties, institutions, and faculty ranks. Female full and associate professors had comparable adjusted salaries to those of male associate and assistant professors, respectively. Conclusions and relevance Among physicians with faculty appointments at 24 U.S. public medical schools, significant sex differences in salary exist even after accounting for age, experience, specialty, faculty rank, and measures of research productivity and clinical revenue. PMID:27400435

Studying physician-adolescent patient communication in community-based practices: recruitment challenges and solutions.

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Bodner, Michael E; Bilheimer, Alicia; Gao, Xiaomei; Lyna, Pauline; Alexander, Stewart C; Dolor, Rowena J; Østbye, Truls; Bravender, Terrill; Tulsky, James A; Graves, Sidney; Irons, Alexis; Pollak, Kathryn I

2015-11-13

Practice-based studies are needed to assess how physicians communicate health messages about weight to overweight/obese adolescent patients, but successful recruitment to such studies is challenging. This paper describes challenges, solutions, and lessons learned to recruit physicians and adolescents to the Teen Communicating Health Analyzing Talk (CHAT) study, a randomized controlled trial of a communication skills intervention for primary care physicians to enhance communication about weight with overweight/obese adolescents. A "peer-to-peer" approach was used to recruit physicians, including the use of "clinic champions" who liaised between study leaders and physicians. Consistent rapport and cooperative working relationships with physicians and clinic staff were developed and maintained. Adolescent clinic files were reviewed (HIPAA waiver) to assess eligibility. Parents could elect to opt-out for their children. To encourage enrollment, confidentiality of audio recordings was emphasized, and financial incentives were offered to all participants. We recruited 49 physicians and audio-recorded 391 of their overweight/obese adolescents' visits. Recruitment challenges included 1) physician reticence to participate; 2) variability in clinic operating procedures; 3) variability in adolescent accrual rates; 4) clinic open access scheduling; and 5) establishing communication with parents and adolescents. Key solutions included the use of a "clinic champion" to help recruit physicians, pro-active, consistent communication with clinic staff, and adapting calling times to reach parents and adolescents. Recruiting physicians and adolescents to audio-recorded, practice-based health communication studies can be successful. Anticipated challenges to recruiting can be met with advanced planning; however, optimal solutions to challenges evolve as recruitment progresses.

Physician perspectives on legal processes for resolving end-of-life disputes.

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Chidwick, Paula; Sibbald, Robert

2011-01-01

In order to understand how to effectively approach end-of-life disputes, this study surveyed physicians' attitudes towards one process for resolving end-of-life disputes, namely, the Consent and Capacity Board of Ontario. In this case, the process involved examining interpretation of best interests between substitute decision-makers and medical teams. Physicians who made "Form G" applications to the Consent and Capacity Board of Ontario that resulted in a decision posted on the open-access database, Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLii), were identified and surveyed. This purposive sample led to 13 invitations to participate and 12 interviews (92% response rate). Interviews were conducted using a prescribed interview guide. No barriers to the Consent and Capacity Board process were reported. Applications were made when physicians reached an impasse with the family and further treatment was perceived to be "unethical." The most significant challenge reported was the delay when appeals were launched. Appeals extended the process for an indefinite period of time making it so lengthy it negated any perceived benefits of the process. Benefits included that a neutral third party, namely the Consent and Capacity Board, was able to assess best interests. Also, when decisions were timely, further harm to the patient was minimized. Physicians reported this particular approach, namely the Consent and Capacity Board has a mechanism that is worthwhile, patient centred, process oriented, orderly and efficient for resolving end-of-life disputes and, in particular, determining best interests. However, unless the appeal process can be adjusted to respond to the ICU context there is a risk of not serving the best interest of patients. Physicians would recommend framing end-of-life treatment plans in the positive instead of negative, for example, propose palliative care and no escalation of treatment as opposed to withdrawal.

The Epidemiology of Injuries Identified at the National Football League Scouting Combine and their Impact on Professional Sport Performance: 2203 athletes, 2009-2015

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Price, Mark D.; Rossy, William H.; Sanchez, George; McHale, Kevin Jude; Logan, Catherine; Provencher, Matthew T.

2017-01-01

Objectives: Normal At the annual National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine, the medical staff of each NFL franchise performs a comprehensive medical evaluation of all athletes potentially entering the NFL. Currently, little is known regarding the overall epidemiology of injuries identified at the Combine and their impact on NFL performance. The purpose of this study is to determine the epidemiology of injuries identified at the Combine and their impact on future NFL performance. Methods: All previous musculoskeletal injuries identified at the NFL combine (2009-2015) were retrospectively reviewed. Medical records and imaging reports were examined. Game statistics for the first two seasons of NFL play were obtained for all players from 2009 to 2013. Analysis of injury prevalence and overall impact on draft status and position-specific performance metrics of each injury was performed and compared versus a position-matched control group with no history of injury and surgery. Results: A total of 2,203 athletes over seven years were evaluated, including 1,490 (67.6%) drafted athletes and 1,040 (47.2%) who ultimately played at least two years in the NFL. The most common sites of injury were the ankle (1160, 52.7%), shoulder (1143, 51.9%), knee (1128, 51.2%), spine (785, 35.6%), and hand (739, 33.5%). Odds ratios (OR) demonstrated quarterbacks were most at risk of shoulder injury (OR 2.78, p=0.001) while running backs most commonly sustained ankle (OR 1.49, p=0.038) and shoulder injuries (OR 1.55, p=0.022). Ultimately, defensive players demonstrated a more negative impact than offensive players following injury with multiple performance metrics impacted for each defensive position analyzed whereas skilled offensive players (i.e. quarterbacks, running backs) demonstrated only one metric affected at each position. Conclusion: The most common sites of injury identified at the Combine were: (1) ankle, (2) shoulder, (3) knee, (4) spine, and (5) hand. Overall, performance

Specialties differ in which aspects of doctor communication predict overall physician ratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Quigley, Denise D; Elliott, Marc N; Farley, Donna O; Burkhart, Q; Skootsky, Samuel A; Hays, Ron D

2014-03-01

Effective doctor communication is critical to positive doctor-patient relationships and predicts better health outcomes. Doctor communication is the strongest predictor of patient ratings of doctors, but the most important aspects of communication may vary by specialty. To determine the importance of five aspects of doctor communication to overall physician ratings by specialty. For each of 28 specialties, we calculated partial correlations of five communication items with a 0-10 overall physician rating, controlling for patient demographics. Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Clinician and Group (CG-CAHPS®) 12-month Survey data collected 2005-2009 from 58,251 adults at a 534-physician medical group. CG-CAHPS includes a 0 ("Worst physician possible") to 10 ("Best physician possible") overall physician rating. Five doctor communication items assess how often the physician: explains things; listens carefully; gives easy-to-understand instructions; shows respect; and spends enough time. Physician showing respect was the most important aspect of communication for 23/28 specialties, with a mean partial correlation (0.27, ranging from 0.07 to 0.44 across specialties) that accounted for more than four times as much variance in the overall physician rating as any other communication item. Three of five communication items varied significantly across specialties in their associations with the overall rating (p importance of other aspects of communication varied significantly by specialty. Quality improvement efforts by all specialties should emphasize physicians showing respect to patients, and each specialty should also target other aspects of communication that matter most to their patients. The results have implications for improving provider quality improvement and incentive programs and the reporting of CAHPS data to patients. Specialists make important contributions to coordinated patient care, and thus customized approaches to measurement

As good as it gets? Managing risks of cardiovascular disease in California's top-performing physician organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Hector P; Ivey, Susan L; Raffetto, Brian J; Vaughn, Jennifer; Knox, Margae; Hanley, Hattie Rees; Mangione, Carol M; Shortell, Stephen M

2014-04-01

The California Right Care Initiative (RCI) accelerates the adoption of evidence-based guidelines and improved care management practices for conditions for which the gap between science and practice is significant, resulting in preventable disability and death. Medical directors and quality improvement leaders from 11 of the 12 physician organizations that met the 2010 national 90th percentile performance benchmarks for control of hyperlipidemia and glycated hemoglobin in 2011 were interviewed in 2012. Interviews, as well as surveys, assessed performance reporting and feedback to individual physicians; medication management protocols; team-based care management; primary care team huddles; coordination of care between primary care clinicians and specialists; implementation of shared medical appointments; and telephone visits for high-risk patients. All but 1 of 11 organizations implemented electronic health records. Electronic information exchange between primary care physicians and specialists, however, was uncommon. Few organizations routinely used interdisciplinary team approaches, shared medical appointments, or telephonic strategies for managing cardiovascular risks among patients. Implementation barriers included physicians' resistance to change, limited resources and reimbursement for team approaches, and limited organizational capacity for change. Implementation facilitators included routine use of reliable data to guide improvement, leadership facilitation of change, physician buy-in, health information technology use, and financial incentives. To accelerate improvements in managing cardiovascular risks, physician organizations may need to implement strategies involving extensive practice reorganization and work flow redesign.

Total expenditures per patient in hospital-owned and physician-owned physician organizations in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, James C; Miller, Kelly

Hospitals are rapidly acquiring medical groups and physician practices. This consolidation may foster cooperation and thereby reduce expenditures, but also may lead to higher expenditures through greater use of hospital-based ambulatory services and through greater hospital pricing leverage against health insurers. To determine whether total expenditures per patient were higher in physician organizations (integrated medical groups and independent practice associations) owned by local hospitals or multihospital systems compared with groups owned by participating physicians. Data were obtained on total expenditures for the care provided to 4.5 million patients treated by integrated medical groups and independent practice associations in California between 2009 and 2012. The patients were covered by commercial health maintenance organization (HMO) insurance and the data did not include patients covered by commercial preferred provider organization (PPO) insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Total expenditures per patient annually, measured in terms of what insurers paid to the physician organizations for professional services, to hospitals for inpatient and outpatient procedures, to clinical laboratories for diagnostic tests, and to pharmaceutical manufacturers for drugs and biologics. Annual expenditures per patient were compared after adjusting for patient illness burden, geographic input costs, and organizational characteristics. Of the 158 organizations, 118 physician organizations (75%) were physician-owned and provided care for 3,065,551 patients, 19 organizations (12%) were owned by local hospitals and provided care for 728,608 patients, and 21 organizations (13%) were owned by multihospital systems and provided care for 693,254 patients. In 2012, physician-owned physician organizations had mean expenditures of $3066 per patient (95% CI, $2892 to $3240), hospital-owned physician organizations had mean expenditures of $4312 per patient (95% CI, $3768 to $4857), and

Association of Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain with Neocortical Amyloid-β Load and Cognitive Performance in Cognitively Normal Elderly Participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Pratishtha; Goozee, Kathryn; Sohrabi, Hamid R; Shen, Kaikai; Shah, Tejal; Asih, Prita R; Dave, Preeti; ManYan, Candice; Taddei, Kevin; Chung, Roger; Zetterberg, Henrik; Blennow, Kaj; Martins, Ralph N

2018-01-01

The disruption of neurofilament, an axonal cytoskeletal protein, in neurodegenerative conditions may result in neuronal damage and its release into the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), neurofilament light chain (NFL), a neurofilament subunit, is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Investigate the association of plasma NFL with preclinical-AD features, such as high neocortical amyloid-β load (NAL) and subjective memory complaints, and cognitive performance in cognitively normal older adults. Plasma NFL concentrations were measured employing the single molecule array platform in participants from the Kerr Anglican Retirement Village Initiative in Ageing Health cohort, aged 65- 90 years. Participants underwent a battery of neuropsychological testing to evaluate cognitive performance and were categorized as low NAL (NAL-, n = 65) and high NAL (NAL+, n = 35) assessed via PET, and further stratified into subjective memory complainers (SMC; nNAL- = 51, nNAL+ = 25) and non-SMC (nNAL- = 14, nNAL+ = 10) based on the Memory Assessment Clinic- Questionnaire. Plasma NFL inversely correlated with cognitive performance. No significant difference in NFL was observed between NAL+ and NAL- participants; however, within APOEɛ4 non-carriers, higher NAL was observed in individuals with NFL concentrations within quartiles 3 and 4 (versus quartile 1). Additionally, within the NAL+ participants, SMC had a trend of higher NFL compared to non-SMC. Plasma NFL is inversely associated with cognitive performance in elderly individuals. While plasma NFL may not reflect NAL in individuals with normal global cognition, the current observations indicate that onset of axonal injury, reflected by increased plasma NFL, within the preclinical phase of AD may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD.

They did not start the fire: reviewing and resolving the issue of physician stress and burnout.

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Babyar, Julie Christine

2017-06-19

Purpose Physician stress and burnout is a serious and common concern in healthcare, with over half of physicians in the USA meeting at least one criterion for burnout. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A review on current state of physician stress and burnout research, from 2008 to 2016, was undertaken. A subsequent perspective paper was shaped around these reviews. Findings Findings reveal research strength in prevalence and incidence with opportunities for stronger intervention studies. While descriptive studies on causes and consequences of physician burnout are available, studies on interventions and prevention of physician burnout are lacking. Future research on physician stress and burnout should incorporate intervention studies and take care to avoid limitations found in current research. Accountability and prevention of physician burnout is the responsibility of the healthcare industry as a whole, and organizational strategies must be emphasized in future research. Originality/value The value of this research comes in the original comprehensive review, international inclusion and succinct summary of physician burnout research and strategies.

Estimating added sugars in US consumer packaged goods: An application to beverages in 2007–08

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Ng, Shu Wen; Bricker, Gregory; Li, Kuo-ping; Yoon, Emily Ford; Kang, Jiyoung; Westrich, Brian

2015-01-01

This study developed a method to estimate added sugar content in consumer packaged goods (CPG) that can keep pace with the dynamic food system. A team including registered dietitians, a food scientist and programmers developed a batch-mode ingredient matching and linear programming (LP) approach to estimate the amount of each ingredient needed in a given product to produce a nutrient profile similar to that reported on its nutrition facts label (NFL). Added sugar content was estimated for 7021 products available in 2007–08 that contain sugar from ten beverage categories. Of these, flavored waters had the lowest added sugar amounts (4.3g/100g), while sweetened dairy and dairy alternative beverages had the smallest percentage of added sugars (65.6% of Total Sugars; 33.8% of Calories). Estimation validity was determined by comparing LP estimated values to NFL values, as well as in a small validation study. LP estimates appeared reasonable compared to NFL values for calories, carbohydrates and total sugars, and performed well in the validation test; however, further work is needed to obtain more definitive conclusions on the accuracy of added sugar estimates in CPGs. As nutrition labeling regulations evolve, this approach can be adapted to test for potential product-specific, category-level, and population-level implications. PMID:26273127

Estimating added sugars in US consumer packaged goods: An application to beverages in 2007-08.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Shu Wen; Bricker, Gregory; Li, Kuo-Ping; Yoon, Emily Ford; Kang, Jiyoung; Westrich, Brian

2015-11-01

This study developed a method to estimate added sugar content in consumer packaged goods (CPG) that can keep pace with the dynamic food system. A team including registered dietitians, a food scientist and programmers developed a batch-mode ingredient matching and linear programming (LP) approach to estimate the amount of each ingredient needed in a given product to produce a nutrient profile similar to that reported on its nutrition facts label (NFL). Added sugar content was estimated for 7021 products available in 2007-08 that contain sugar from ten beverage categories. Of these, flavored waters had the lowest added sugar amounts (4.3g/100g), while sweetened dairy and dairy alternative beverages had the smallest percentage of added sugars (65.6% of Total Sugars; 33.8% of Calories). Estimation validity was determined by comparing LP estimated values to NFL values, as well as in a small validation study. LP estimates appeared reasonable compared to NFL values for calories, carbohydrates and total sugars, and performed well in the validation test; however, further work is needed to obtain more definitive conclusions on the accuracy of added sugar estimates in CPGs. As nutrition labeling regulations evolve, this approach can be adapted to test for potential product-specific, category-level, and population-level implications.

Family physicians' attitude and interest toward participation in urban family physician program and related factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoumeh Sadeghi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Every family physician has a key role in achieving the goals of the family physician program (FPP. Low satisfaction of physicians in certain areas of Iran and their low maintenance level in the program is quite challenging. The aims of the present study were; (1 to assess the attitude of rural/rural-urban family physicians about FPP and (2 to investigate their interest toward participation in urban FPP and (3 to explore the influencing factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 137 family physicians who were working in rural/rural-urban FPP in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Iran. A self-designed valid and reliable questionnaire including demographic data and thirty questions on the participants' attitudes toward the FPP in Likert scale were used. Data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression models using SPSS software. Results: 49.3% of physicians were interested in continuing their cooperation in the urban-FPP. The mean total attitude score was 62.18 out of 100. The highest agreement and positive attitude of physicians were related to achievements of the program goals dimension. Multiple analyses showed that gender (odds ratio [OR] =5.5; male vs. female and employment status (OR = 16.7 and 10.9 for permanent employment and by contract compared to legal obligation, respectively were significantly associated with physicians' willingness toward participation in the urban-FPP. Conclusion: About half of the studied physicians were interested toward participation in the urban-FPP; Male physicians more than females and permanent employees more than others were willing and interested to participate in the urban-FPP.

The Value That Infectious Diseases Physicians Bring to the Healthcare System.

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McQuillen, Daniel P; MacIntyre, Ann T

2017-09-15

While a career in infectious diseases (ID) has always been challenging and exciting, recognition of the value that ID physicians provide to the healthcare system as a whole, over and above the value they provide to individual patients, has been poor in this system. In response to this disparity, the Infectious Diseases Society of America Clinical Affairs Committee has long endeavored to quantify the value of ID physicians to the system, which is challenging in part because of the many avenues through which they influence healthcare. We discuss data showing that ID physicians improve clinical outcomes, positively impact transitions of care, and direct system-level improvements through infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship. We identify areas where value-based care provides additional future opportunities for ID physicians. A Clinical Affairs Committee-sponsored study of ID physicians' positive impact on patient outcomes shows that few medical specialties are better positioned to positively impact the Triple Aim approach-better health, better care, and lower per capita cost-that is the principle tenet of healthcare system reform. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Developing a Physician׳s Professional Identity Through Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Olive, Kenneth E; Abercrombie, Caroline L

2017-02-01

Professionalism represents a fundamental characteristic of physicians. Professional organizations have developed professionalism competencies for physicians and medical students. The aim of teaching medical professionalism is to ensure the development of a professional identity in medical students. Professional identity formation is a process developed through teaching principles and appropriate behavioral responses to the stresses of being a physician. Addressing lapses and critical reflection is an important part of the educational process. The "hidden curriculum" within an institution plays an important role in professional identity formation. Assessment of professionalism involves multiple mechanisms. Steps in remediating professionalism lapses include (1) initial assessment, (2) diagnosis of problems and development of an individualized learning plan, (3) instruction encompassing practice, feedback and reflection and (4) reassessment and certification of competence. No reliable outcomes data exist regarding the effectiveness of different remediation strategies. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of physician-hospital ventures.

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Cohn, Kenneth H; Allyn, Thomas R; Rosenfield, Robert H; Schwartz, Richard

2005-01-01

An ongoing environment of reimbursement lagging behind escalating expenses has led physicians to explore new sources of revenue. The goal of physician-hospital ventures is to create a valuable entity that benefits patients, physicians, and the hospital. Physicians may choose to invest in healthcare facilities to improve patient care and obtain increased control over daily operations. If so, they should seek counsel to avoid violating Stark laws and anti-kickback laws. Modalities for investing in physician-hospital ventures are joint equity (stock) ventures, participating bond transactions (PBTs), and contractual integration, a new method to align the goals of specialists and hospital management without using joint equity ventures. Physicians and management should invest time in developing a shared vision of the future before beginning contract negotiations. Successful partnering requires transparency and stepwise building of trust. The greatest gain in joint ventures arises when both sides become active owners, rather than passive investors.

Job stress and job satisfaction of physicians in private practice: comparison of German and Norwegian physicians.

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Voltmer, Edgar; Rosta, Judith; Siegrist, Johannes; Aasland, Olaf G

2012-10-01

This study examined job satisfaction and job stress of German compared to Norwegian physicians in private practice. A representative sample of physicians in private practice of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany (N = 414) and a nationwide sample of Norwegian general practitioners and private practice specialists (N = 340) were surveyed in a cross-sectional design in 2010. The questionnaire comprised the standard instruments "Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS)" and a short form of the "Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI)". Norwegian physicians scored significantly higher (job satisfaction scale compared to German physicians (M 5.57, SD 0.74 vs. M 4.78, SD 1.01). The effect size was highest for the items freedom to choose method (d = 1.012), rate of pay (d = 0.941), and overall job satisfaction (d = 0.931). While there was no significant difference in the mean of the overall effort scale between German and Norwegian physicians, Norwegian physicians scored significantly higher (p job satisfaction. Job satisfaction and reward were significantly higher in Norwegian than in German physicians. An almost threefold higher proportion of German physicians exhibited a high level of work-related stress. Findings call for active prevention and health promotion among stressed practicing physicians, with a special focus on improved working conditions.

Higher fees paid to US physicians drive higher spending for physician services compared to other countries.

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Laugesen, Miriam J; Glied, Sherry A

2011-09-01

Higher health care prices in the United States are a key reason that the nation's health spending is so much higher than that of other countries. Our study compared physicians' fees paid by public and private payers for primary care office visits and hip replacements in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We also compared physicians' incomes net of practice expenses, differences in financing the cost of medical education, and the relative contribution of payments per physician and of physician supply in the countries' national spending on physician services. Public and private payers paid somewhat higher fees to US primary care physicians for office visits (27 percent more for public, 70 percent more for private) and much higher fees to orthopedic physicians for hip replacements (70 percent more for public, 120 percent more for private) than public and private payers paid these physicians' counterparts in other countries. US primary care and orthopedic physicians also earned higher incomes ($186,582 and $442,450, respectively) than their foreign counterparts. We conclude that the higher fees, rather than factors such as higher practice costs, volume of services, or tuition expenses, were the main drivers of higher US spending, particularly in orthopedics.

Use of spirometry among chest physicians and primary care physicians in India.

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Vanjare, Nitin; Chhowala, Sushmeeta; Madas, Sapna; Kodgule, Rahul; Gogtay, Jaideep; Salvi, Sundeep

2016-07-07

Although spirometry is the gold-standard diagnostic test for obstructive airways diseases, it remains poorly utilised in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the use of spirometry across India, the change in its usage over a period of time and to understand the reasons for its under-utilisation. Two nationwide surveys were conducted in the years 2005 and 2013, among four groups of doctors: chest physicians (CPs), general physicians (GenPs), general practitioners (GPs) and paediatricians (Ps). A total of 1,000 physicians from each of the four groups were randomly selected from our database in the years 2005 and 2013. These surveys were conducted in 52 cities and towns across 15 states in India. A questionnaire was administered to the physicians, which captured information about their demographic details, type of practice and use of spirometry. The overall response rates of the physicians in 2005 and 2013 were 42.8% and 54.9%, respectively. Spirometry was reported to be used by 55% CPs, 20% GenPs, 10% GPs and 5% Ps in 2005, and this increased by 30.9% among CPs (P value spirometry varied between 2005 and 2013. In all, 32.2% of physicians were unaware of which predicted equation they were using. The use of spirometry in India is low, although it seems to have improved over the years. The reasons identified in this study for under-utilisation should be used to address initiatives to improve the use of spirometry in clinical practice.

Interprofessional simulation-based education program: a promising approach for changing stereotypes and improving attitudes toward nurse-physician collaboration.

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Liaw, Sok Ying; Siau, Chiang; Zhou, Wen Tao; Lau, Tang Ching

2014-11-01

An effective working relationship between physicians and nurses is enhanced by fostering positive perceptions and collaborative attitudes between the two professions. This brief paper examines the effect of an interprofessional simulation-based communication education program in enhancing medical and nursing students' perceptions of each other's profession and their attitudes toward nurse-physician collaboration. Pretest-Posttest design was conducted on 96 medical and nursing students who demonstrated the existence of professional stereotypes in the baseline data. This study showed that by promoting open communication, shared information and decision-making, mutual respect, and trust during the interprofessional simulation training, a positive transformation on the stereotypes and attitudes toward nurse-physician collaboration can be achieved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine: an innovative approach to medical education and the training of physician investigators.

Science.gov (United States)

Fishleder, Andrew J; Henson, Lindsey C; Hull, Alan L

2007-04-01

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) is an innovative, five-year medical education track within Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (Case) with a focused mission to attract and educate a limited number of highly qualified persons who seek to become physician investigators. CCLCM curriculum governance, faculty appointments and promotions, and admissions committees are integrated with respective Case committees. The CCLCM curriculum is based on faculty-defined professional attributes that graduates are expected to develop. These attributes were used to create curricular and assessment principles that guided the development of an integrated basic science, clinical science, and research curriculum, conducted in an active learning environment. An organ-system approach is used to solidify an understanding of basic science discipline threads in the context of relevant clinical problems presented in PBL and case-based discussion formats. Clinical skills are introduced in the first year as part of the two-year longitudinal experience with a family practice or internal medicine physician. The research program provides all students with opportunities to learn and experience basic and translational research and clinical research before selecting a research topic for their 12- to 15-month master-level thesis project. All Case students participate in required and elective clinical curriculum after the second year, but CCLCM students return to the Cleveland Clinic on selected Friday afternoons for program-specific research and professionalism-learning activities. A unique portfolio-based assessment system is used to assess student achievements in nine competency areas, seven of which reflect the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies.

Verbal Aggressiveness Among Physicians and Trainees.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, Jenny Lynn; Hosseini, Motahar; Kamangar, Farin; Levien, David H; Rowland, Pamela A; Kowdley, Gopal C; Cunningham, Steven C

2016-01-01

To better understand verbal aggressiveness among physicians and trainees, including specialty-specific differences. The Infante Verbal Aggressiveness Scale (IVAS) was administered as part of a survey to 48 medical students, 24 residents, and 257 attending physicians. The 72 trainees received the IVAS and demographic questions, whereas the attending physicians received additional questions regarding type of practice, career satisfaction, litigation, and personality type. The IVAS scores showed high reliability (Cronbach α = 0.83). Among all trainees, 56% were female with mean age 28 years, whereas among attending physicians, 63% were male with mean age 50 years. Average scores of trainees were higher than attending physicians with corresponding averages of 1.88 and 1.68, respectively. Among trainees, higher IVAS scores were significantly associated with male sex, non-US birthplace, choice of surgery, and a history of bullying. Among attending physicians, higher IVAS scores were significantly associated with male sex, younger age, self-reported low-quality of patient-physician relationships, and low enjoyment talking to patients. General surgery and general internal medicine physicians were significantly associated with higher IVAS scores than other specialties. General practitioners (surgeons and medical physicians) had higher IVAS scores than the specialists in their corresponding fields. No significant correlation was found between IVAS scores and threats of legal action against attending physicians, or most personality traits. Additional findings regarding bullying in medical school, physician-patient interactions, and having a method to deal with inappropriate behavior at work were observed. Individuals choosing general specialties display more aggressive verbal communication styles, general surgeons displaying the highest. The IVAS scoring system may identify subgroups of physicians with overly aggressive (problematic) communication skills and may provide a

Views of United States Physicians and Members of the American Medical Association House of Delegates on Physician-assisted Suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitney, Simon N.; Brown, Byron W.; Brody, Howard; Alcser, Kirsten H.; Bachman, Jerald G.; Greely, Henry T.

2001-01-01

Ascertained the views of physicians and physician leaders toward legalization of physician-assisted suicide. Results indicated members of AMA House of Delegates strongly oppose physician-assisted suicide, but rank-and-file physicians show no consensus either for or against its legalization. Although the debate is adversarial, most physicians are…

Telemanagement of hypertension: A qualitative assessment of patient and physician preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Halifax, Nancy VD; Cafazzo, Joseph A; Irvine, M Jane; Hamill, Melinda; Rizo, Carlos A; McIsaac, Warren J; Rossos, Peter G; Logan, Alexander G

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prevalence surveys have consistently found that the blood pressure control rate among people with hypertension is less than 25%. Studies of telemedicine as a means of providing care to hypertensive patients have shown that this approach is effective in lowering blood pressure. Major design flaws and high operating costs, however, have hindered its adoption by physicians and patients. OBJECTIVES: In the present commentary, the field of telemedicine, as it pertains to hypertension management, is reviewed, and the investigators’ experiences in developing a new telemedicine system are outlined. METHODS: An applied qualitative case study approach was used to determine the information needs for the design of a telemedicine system. Opinions were elicited separately from type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension (n=24) and family practitioners in active clinical practice (n=18). RESULTS: Physician and patient focus group meetings provided key information that led to changes in the prototype system. The low level of computer and Internet use by patients in everyday life and by physicians in practice-related activities precluded their inclusion in the design of the system for information retrieval and receiving clinical alerts. For patients, the mobile phone appeared to be an acceptable alternative. The only practical, automated means to disseminate reports and alerts to physicians was by fax, which was the most universally available device in a doctor’s office. CONCLUSION: This tightly focused qualitative study led to the development of design principles for a prototype system, increasing the likelihood of user acceptance and improving its effectiveness. PMID:17534469

Examining the Factors Affecting PDA Acceptance among Physicians: An Extended Technology Acceptance Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Basak, Ecem; Gumussoy, Cigdem Altin; Calisir, Fethi

2015-01-01

This study aims at identifying the factors affecting the intention to use personal digital assistant (PDA) technology among physicians in Turkey using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A structural equation-modeling approach was used to identify the variables that significantly affect the intention to use PDA technology. The data were collected from 339 physicians in Turkey. Results indicated that 71% of the physicians' intention to use PDA technology is explained by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. On comparing both, the perceived ease of use has the strongest effect, whereas the effect of perceived enjoyment on behavioral intention to use is found to be insignificant. This study concludes with the recommendations for managers and possible future research.

Physician-owned companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostuik, John P

2007-05-15

The author relates his experience in the development of a spinal implant development company (K2M) that is significantly advised by physicians. To provide information about the development of a spinal implant company (K2M) advised by a group of professional spinal surgeons. To relate the federal laws (STARK and anti-kickback) as they pertain to surgeon-influenced companies. To discuss the role of a scientific advisory board. A self-developed company was developed together with significant, but minority physician financial input and majority scientific advice. A privately owned spinal implant development corporation (K2M) was developed 3 years ago. Physician financial participation was less than 20% (Stark laws state no more than 40%). Users of product are greater than 60% non-investor physicians. The development of a large scientific advisory board has been very influential in product development. A privately owned spinal implant company (K2M) has been developed strictly within Federal laws. Its board of scientific advisors that receives recompense commissurate only with effort significantly impacts the company policy.

Physicians' degree of motivation regarding their perception of hypertension, and blood pressure control.

Science.gov (United States)

Consoli, Silla M; Lemogne, Cédric; Levy, Alain; Pouchain, Denis; Laurent, Stephane

2010-06-01

Despite clear international guidelines, the achievement of blood pressure (BP) control is still disappointing. To determine whether physicians' perception of hypertension, in general, is related to their patients' BP measures. DUO-HTA is a French cross-sectional survey, which included a representative sample of 346 general practitioners, 209 cardiologists and 2014 hypertensive patients. Data were collected using two self-administered questionnaires filled out by the hypertensive patients and their physicians. A cluster analysis was performed on the responses given by the physicians, prior to the inclusion of their patients into the study, to 13 questions concerning their perception of hypertension. Physicians were divided into five groups, ranging from 'poorly motivated' to 'highly motivated' physicians, with regard to their perception of hypertension. More motivated physicians had a more confident and optimistic approach of hypertension, looked more empathetic and supportive towards patients and were characterized by higher rates of patients with controlled BP included into the study (range 32-42%, P=0.01 for trend). After adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical and psychological patient-related variables, separate analyses for the patients included into the survey by general practitioners or cardiologists found a significant decreasing gradient for SBP according to physicians' level of motivation (respectively, P=0.029 and P=0.021). Close results were observed in multivariate logistic regression analyses of uncontrolled hypertension. These results underline the importance of physicians' perception of hypertension, in addition or concurrently to their compliance with international guidelines, for a successful management of hypertensive patients

Educational outreach and collaborative care enhances physician's perceived knowledge about Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaines, Robin; Missiuna, Cheryl; Egan, Mary; McLean, Jennifer

2008-01-24

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental condition that affects 5-6% of children. When not recognized and properly managed during the child's development, DCD can lead to academic failure, mental health problems and poor physical fitness. Physicians, working in collaboration with rehabilitation professionals, are in an excellent position to recognize and manage DCD. This study was designed to determine the feasibility and impact of an educational outreach and collaborative care model to improve chronic disease management of children with DCD. The intervention included educational outreach and collaborative care for children with suspected DCD. Physicians were educated by and worked with rehabilitation professionals from February 2005 to April 2006. Mixed methods evaluation approach documented the process and impact of the intervention. Physicians: 750 primary care physicians from one major urban area and outlying regions were invited to participate; 147 physicians enrolled in the project. Children: 125 children were identified and referred with suspected DCD. The main outcome was improvement in knowledge and perceived skill of physicians concerning their ability to screen, diagnose and manage DCD. At baseline 91.1% of physicians were unaware of the diagnosis of DCD, and only 1.6% could diagnose condition. Post-intervention, 91% of participating physicians reported greater knowledge about DCD and 29.2% were able to diagnose DCD compared to 0.5% of non-participating physicians. 100% of physicians who participated in collaborative care indicated they would continue to use the project materials and resources and 59.4% reported they would recommend or share the materials with medical colleagues. In addition, 17.6% of physicians not formally enrolled in the project reported an increase in knowledge of DCD. Physicians receiving educational outreach visits significantly improved their knowledge about DCD and their ability to identify and

Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising: physician and public opinion and potential effects on the physician-patient relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Andrew R; Hohmann, Kirsten B; Rifkin, Julie I; Topp, Daniel; Gilroy, Christine M; Pickard, Jeffrey A; Anderson, Robert J

2004-02-23

Previous studies have shown that direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising can influence consumer behavior and that many physicians have negative views of these advertisements. Physician and public opinions about these advertisements and how they may affect the physician-patient relationship are not well established. Mail survey of 523 Colorado physicians and 261 national physicians and telephone survey of 500 Colorado households asking respondents to rate their agreement with statements about DTC advertising. Most physicians tended to view DTC advertisements negatively, indicating that such advertisements rarely provide enough information on cost (98.7%), alternative treatment options (94.9%), or adverse effects (54.8%). Most also believed that DTC advertisements affected interactions with patients by lengthening clinical encounters (55.9%), leading to patient requests for specific medications (80.7%), and changing patient expectations of physicians' prescribing practices (67.0%). Only 29.0% of public respondents agreed that DTC advertising is a positive trend in health care and 28.6% indicated that advertisements make them better informed about medical problems; fewer indicated that advertisements motivated them to seek care (10.5%) or led them to request specific medications from their physicians (13.3%). Most physicians have negative views of DTC pharmaceutical advertising and see several potential effects of these advertisements on the physician-patient relationship. Many public respondents have similarly negative views, and only a few agree that they change their expectations of or interactions with physicians. While these advertisements may be influencing only a few consumers, it seems that the impact on physicians and their interactions with patients may be significant.

[Family physicians attitude towards quality indicator program].

Science.gov (United States)

Shani, Michal; Nakar, Sasson; Azuri, Yossi

2012-10-01

Quality indicator programs for primary care are implanted throughout the world improving quality in health care. In this study, we have assessed family physicians attitudes towards the quality indicators program in Israel. Questionnaires were distributed to family physicians in various continuing educational programs. The questionnaire addressed demographics, whether the physician dealt with quality indicators, time devoted by the physician to quality indicators, pressure placed on the physician related to quality indicators, and the working environment. A total of 140 questionnaires were distributed and 91 (65%) were completed. The average physician age was 49 years (range 33-65 years]; the average working experience as a family physician was 17.8 years (range 0.5-42); 58 physicians were family medicine specialist (65.9%). Quality indicators were part of the routine work of 94% of the physicians; 72% of the physicians noted the importance of quality indicators; 84% of the physicians noted that quality indicators demand better team work; 76% of the physicians noted that quality indicators have reduced their professional independence. Pressure to deal with quality indicators was noted by 72% of the family physicians. Pressure to deal with quality indicators was related to reduced loyalty to their employer (P = 0.001), reducing their interest to practice family medicine (p programs, without creating a heavy burden on the work of family physicians.

Physician Fee Schedule Search

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — This website is designed to provide information on services covered by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). It provides more than 10,000 physician services,...

Michigan's fee-for-value physician incentive program reduces spending and improves quality in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemak, Christy Harris; Nahra, Tammie A; Cohen, Genna R; Erb, Natalie D; Paustian, Michael L; Share, David; Hirth, Richard A

2015-04-01

As policy makers and others seek to reduce health care cost growth while improving health care quality, one approach gaining momentum is fee-for-value reimbursement. This payment strategy maintains the traditional fee-for-service arrangement but includes quality and spending incentives. We examined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's Physician Group Incentive Program, which uses a fee-for-value approach focused on primary care physicians. We analyzed the program's impact on quality and spending from 2008 to 2011 for over three million beneficiaries in over 11,000 physician practices. Participation in the incentive program was associated with approximately 1.1 percent lower total spending for adults (5.1 percent lower for children) and the same or improved performance on eleven of fourteen quality measures over time. Our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence about the potential effectiveness of models that align payment with cost and quality performance, and they demonstrate that it is possible to transform reimbursement within a fee-for-service framework to encourage and incentivize physicians to provide high-quality care, while also reducing costs. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in cases of terminal cancer: the opinions of physicians and nurses in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Parpa, Efi; Mystakidou, Kyriaki; Tsilika, Eleni; Sakkas, Pavlos; Patiraki, Elisabeth; Pistevou-Gombaki, Kyriaki; Govina, Ourania; Vlahos, Lambros

2008-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions of physicians and nurses on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in advanced cancer patients in Greece. Two hundred and fifteen physicians and 250 nurses from various hospitals in Greece completed a questionnaire concerning issues on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. More physicians (43.3%) than nurses (3.2%, p < 0.0005) reported that in the case of a cardiac or respiratory arrest, they would not attempt to revive a terminally ill cancer patient. Only 1.9% of physicians and 3.6% of nurses agreed on physician-assisted suicide. Forty-seven per cent of physicians and 45.2% of nurses would prefer the legalization of a terminally ill patient's hastened death; in the case of such a request, 64.2% of physicians and 55.2% of nurses (p = 0.06) would consider it if it was legal. The majority of the participants tended to disagree with euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide in terminally ill cancer patients, probably due to the fact that these acts in Greece are illegal.

Improving physician hand hygiene compliance using behavioural theories: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Squires Janet E

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Healthcare-associated infections affect 10% of patients in Canadian acute-care hospitals and are significant and preventable causes of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Hand hygiene is among the simplest and most effective preventive measures to reduce these infections. However, compliance with hand hygiene among healthcare workers, specifically among physicians, is consistently suboptimal. We aim to first identify the barriers and enablers to physician hand hygiene compliance, and then to develop and pilot a theory-based knowledge translation intervention to increase physicians’ compliance with best hand hygiene practice. Design The study consists of three phases. In Phase 1, we will identify barriers and enablers to hand hygiene compliance by physicians. This will include: key informant interviews with physicians and residents using a structured interview guide, informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework; nonparticipant observation of physician/resident hand hygiene audit sessions; and focus groups with hand hygiene experts. In Phase 2, we will conduct intervention mapping to develop a theory-based knowledge translation intervention to improve physician hand hygiene compliance. Finally, in Phase 3, we will pilot the knowledge translation intervention in four patient care units. Discussion In this study, we will use a behavioural theory approach to obtain a better understanding of the barriers and enablers to physician hand hygiene compliance. This will provide a comprehensive framework on which to develop knowledge translation interventions that may be more successful in improving hand hygiene practice. Upon completion of this study, we will refine the piloted knowledge translation intervention so it can be tested in a multi-site cluster randomized controlled trial.

[Physicians' strikes--ethical considerations].

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Glick, Shimon; Schwarzfuchs, Dan

2012-01-01

Strikes in general represent a solution based on a form of coercion. Historically, the striker caused direct damage to his employer, who was responsible for the perceived unfair treatment of the employee. In the case of strikes in the public sector, the employer is generally not harmed, but innocent citizens suffer in order to pressure the government agencies, a questionable practice from an ethical viewpoint. Physicians' strikes have more serious ethical problems. They cause suffering and death to innocent citizens. They violate the ethical codes to which physicians have committed themselves as professionals, and they seriously impair the trust of the public in physicians. Better and more ethical ways to provide fair compensation for physicians must be employed, perhaps like those used for judges and members of the IDF.

Evaluation of non-radiologist physicians' knowledge on aspects related to ionizing radiation in imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madrigano, Renata Rodrigues; Abrao, Karen Cristine; Regacini, Rodrigo; Puchnick, Andrea

2014-01-01

Objective: to assess the non-radiologist physicians' knowledge on the use of ionizing radiation in imaging. Materials and Methods: cross-sectional study utilizing an anonymous questionnaire responded by physicians in clinical and surgical specialties, divided into two parts as follows: one including questions about the physicians' characteristics, frequency of imaging studies requests and participation in professional updating events, and another part including multiple choice questions approaching general knowledge about radiation, optimization principles and radioprotection. Results: from a total of 309 questionnaires, 120 (38.8%) were responded, 50% by physicians in surgical specialties and 50% in clinical specialties; respectively 45% and 2.5% of physicians responded that magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography use ionizing radiation. Overall, the average grade was higher for surgical specialists with no significant difference, except for the question about exposure in pregnant women (p = 0.047). Physicians who are professionally updated, particularly those attending clinical meetings (p = 0.050) and participating in teaching activities (p = 0.047), showed statistically superior knowledge about ionizing radiation as compared with others. Conclusion: the non-radiologist physicians' is heterogeneous and in some points needs to be improved. Multidisciplinary clinical meetings and teaching activities are important ways to disseminate information on the subject. (author)

Effectiveness of e-learning in continuing medical education for occupational physicians

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hugenholtz, Nathalie I. R.; de Croon, Einar M.; Smits, Paul B.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen

2008-01-01

Background Within a clinical context e-learning is comparable to traditional approaches of continuing medical education (CME). However, the occupational health context differs and until now the effect of postgraduate e-learning among occupational physicians (OPs) has not been evaluated. Aim To

[Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide : Attitudes of physicians and nurses].

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Zenz, J; Tryba, M; Zenz, M

2015-04-01

The current debate about end-of-life decisions in Germany focuses on physician-assisted suicide (PAS). However, there is only limited information available on physicians' attitudes towards euthanasia or PAS, and no data on nurses' attitudes. The aim is to explore attitudes of physicians and nurses with a special interest in palliative care and pain medicine using a case-related questionnaire. An anonymous questionnaire, consisting of eight questions, was distributed to all participants of a palliative care congress and a pain symposium. The questions focused on two scenarios: (1) a patient with an incurable fatal illness, (2) a patient with an incurable but nonfatal illness. The question was: Should euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (PAS) be allowed. In addition, the participants were asked what they wanted for themselves if they were the patient concerned. A total of 317 questionnaires were analyzed; the return rate was 70 %. The general support for euthanasia and PAS was high: 40.5 % supported euthanasia in case of a fatal illness ("definitely…", "probably should be allowed"), 53.5 % supported PAS. The support decreased in case of a nonfatal illness; however, it increased when the participants were asked about their attitudes if they were the patient concerned. Nurses were more open towards euthanasia and PAS. In physicians the rejection of PAS was directly related to a higher level of qualification in the field of palliative care. The fact that nurses had a more positive attitude towards euthanasia and PAS and that all respondents accepted life-ending acts for themselves more than for their patients hints to still existing severe deficits in Germany.

Religious characteristics of US women physicians.

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Frank, E; Dell, M L; Chopp, R

1999-12-01

Physicians' religious attributes are unknown, and may affect patient care. The Women Physicians' Health Study (WPHS) is a random sample (n = 4501 respondents, 59% response rate) of US women physicians aged 30-70; the first large, national study of US women physicians. In this study US women physicians were less likely to be Christian than were other Americans (61.2% of women physicians versus 85.1% of the general population), but were more likely to be Jewish (13.2% vs 2.0%), Buddhist (1.4% vs 0.3%), Hindu (3.9% vs 0.4%), or atheist/agnostic (5.9% vs 0.6%). Protestantism (29.3% of the population) and Catholicism (24.9%) were the most commonly reported religious identities. The strongest religious identity was claimed by Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists. Thus, women physicians' religious beliefs differ from those of the general population in the US. This may be particularly important for physicians practicing with patient populations with different religious affiliations, and in addressing clinical questions with ethical or religious dimensions.

A Qualitative Examination of Physician Gender and Parental Status in Pediatric End-of-Life Communication.

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Bateman, Lori Brand; White, Marjorie Lee; Tofil, Nancy M; Clair, Jeffrey Michael; Needham, Belinda L

2017-07-01

In this study we utilized the framework of patient-centered communication to explore the influence of physician gender and physician parental status on (1) physician-parent communication and (2) care of pediatric patients at the end of life (EOL). The findings presented here emerged from a larger qualitative study that explored physician narratives surrounding pediatric EOL communication. The current study includes 17 pediatric critical care and pediatric emergency medicine physician participants who completed narrative interviews between March and October 2012 to discuss how their backgrounds influenced their approaches to pediatric EOL communication. Between April and June of 2013, participants completed a second round of narrative interviews to discuss topics generated out of the first round of interviews. We used grounded theory to inform the design and analysis of the study. Findings indicated that physician gender is related to pediatric EOL communication and care in two primary ways: (1) the level of physician emotional distress and (2) the way physicians perceive the influence of gender on communication. Additionally, parental status emerged as an important theme as it related to EOL decision-making and communication, emotional distress, and empathy. Although physicians reported experiencing more emotional distress related to interacting with patients at the EOL after they became parents, they also felt that they were better able to show empathy to parents of their patients.

Non-physician practitioners in radiation oncology: advanced practice nurses and physician assistants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelvin, Joanne Frankel; Moore-Higgs, Giselle J.; Maher, Karen E.; Dubey, Ajay K.; Austin-Seymour, Mary M.; Daly, Nancy Riese; Mendenhall, Nancy Price; Kuehn, Eric F.

1999-01-01

Purpose: With changes in reimbursement and a decrease in the number of residents, there is a need to explore new ways of achieving high quality patient care in radiation oncology. One mechanism is the implementation of non-physician practitioner roles, such as the advanced practice nurse (APN) and physician assistant (PA). This paper provides information for radiation oncologists and nurses making decisions about: (1) whether or not APNs or PAs are appropriate for their practice, (2) which type of provider would be most effective, and (3) how best to implement this role. Methods: Review of the literature and personal perspective. Conclusions: Specific issues addressed regarding APN and PA roles in radiation oncology include: definition of roles, regulation, prescriptive authority, reimbursement, considerations in implementation of the role, educational needs, and impact on resident training. A point of emphasis is that the non-physician practitioner is not a replacement or substitute for either a resident or a radiation oncologist. Instead, this role is a complementary one. The non-physician practitioner can assist in the diagnostic work-up of patients, manage symptoms, provide education to patients and families, and assist them in coping. This support facilitates the physician's ability to focus on the technical aspects of prescribing radiotherapy

Invasive candidosis: contrasting the perceptions of infectious disease physicians and intensive care physicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa Schultz

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction We analyze how infectious disease physicians perceive and manage invasive candidosis in Brazil, in comparison to intensive care unit specialists. Methods A 38-question survey was administered to 56 participants. Questions involved clinicians' perceptions of the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of invasive candidosis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The perception that candidemia not caused by Candida albicans occurs in less than 10% of patients is more commonly held by intensive care unit specialists (p=0.018. Infectious disease physicians almost always use antifungal drugs in the treatment of patients with candidemia, and antifungal drugs are not as frequently prescribed by intensive care unit specialists (p=0.006. Infectious disease physicians often do not use voriconazole when a patient's antifungal treatment has failed with fluconazole, which also differs from the behavior of intensive care unit specialists (p=0.019. Many intensive care unit specialists use fluconazole to treat candidemia in neutropenic patients previously exposed to fluconazole, in contrast to infectious disease physicians (p=0.024. Infectious disease physicians prefer echinocandins as a first choice in the treatment of unstable neutropenic patients more frequently than intensive care unit specialists (p=0.013. When candidemia is diagnosed, most infectious disease physicians perform fundoscopy (p=0.015, whereas intensive care unit specialists usually perform echocardiograms on all patients (p=0.054. Conclusions This study reveals a need to better educate physicians in Brazil regarding invasive candidosis. The appropriate management of this disease depends on more drug options being available in our country in addition to global coverage in private and public hospitals, thereby improving health care.

Relation Between Physicians' Work Lives and Happiness.

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Eckleberry-Hunt, Jodie; Kirkpatrick, Heather; Taku, Kanako; Hunt, Ronald; Vasappa, Rashmi

2016-04-01

Although we know much about work-related physician burnout and the subsequent negative effects, we do not fully understand work-related physician wellness. Likewise, the relation of wellness and burnout to physician happiness is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine how physician burnout and wellness contribute to happiness. We sampled 2000 full-time physician members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Respondents completed a demographics questionnaire, questions about workload, the Physician Wellness Inventory, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. We performed a hierarchical regression analysis with the burnout and wellness subscales as predictor variables and physician happiness as the outcome variable. Our response rate was 22%. Career purpose, personal accomplishment, and perception of workload manageability had significant positive correlations with physician happiness. Distress had a significant negative correlation with physician happiness. A sense of career meaning and accomplishment, along with a lack of distress, are important factors in determining physician happiness. The number of hours a physician works is not related to happiness, but the perceived ability to manage workload was significantly related to happiness. Wellness-promotion efforts could focus on assisting physicians with skills to manage the workload by eliminating unnecessary tasks or sharing workload among team members, improving feelings of work accomplishment, improving career satisfaction and meaning, and managing distress related to patient care.

Public private partnership in in-service training of physicians: the millennium development goal 6-partnership for African clinical training (M-PACT) approach.

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Oleribe, Obinna Ositadimma; Salako, Babatunde Lawal; Akpalu, Albert; Anteyi, Emmanuel; Ka, Mamadou Mourtalla; Deen, Gibrilla; Akande, Temilola; Abellona U, Mei Ran; Lemoine, Maud; McConnochie, Mairi; Foster, Matthew; Walker, Richard; Taylor-Robinson, Simon David; Jawad, Ali

2018-01-01

in-service training of healthcare workers is essential for improving healthcare services and outcome. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6 Partnership for African Clinical Training (M-PACT) program was an innovative in-service training approach designed and implemented by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and West African College of Physicians (WACP) with funding from Eco Bank Foundation. The goal was to develop sustainable capacity to tackle MDG 6 targets in West Africa through better postgraduate medical education. Five training centres were establised: Nigeria (Abuja, Ibadan), Ghana (Accra), Senegal (Dakar) and Sierra Leone (Freetown) for training 681 physicians from across West Africa. A curriculum jointly designed by the RCP-WACP team was used to deliver biannual 5-day training courses over a 3-year period. Of 602 trained in clinical medicine, 358 (59.5%) were males and 535 (88.9%) were from hosting countries. 472 (78.4%) of participants received travel bursaries to participate, while 318 (52.8%) were residents in Internal Medicine in the respective institutions. Accra had the highest number of participants (29.7%) followed by Ibadan, (28.7%), Dakar, (24.9%), Abuja, (11.0%) and Freetown, (5.6%). Pre-course clinical knowledge scores ranged from 35.1% in the Freetown Course to 63.8% in Accra Course 1; whereas post-course scores ranged from 50.5% in the Freetown course to 73.8% in Accra course 1. M-PACT made a positive impact to quality and outcome of healthcare services in the region and is a model for continued improvement for healthcare outcomes, e.g malaria, HIV and TB incidence and mortality in West Africa.

Design and methodology of the Geo-social Analysis of Physicians' settlement (GAP-Study) in Germany.

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Groneberg, David A; Boll, Michael; Bauer, Jan

2016-01-01

Unequally distributed disease burdens within populations are well-known and occur worldwide. They are depending on residents' social status and/or ethnic background. Country-specific health care systems - especially the coverage and distribution of health care providers - are both a potential cause as well as an important solution for health inequalities. Registers are built of all accredited physicians and psychotherapists within the outpatient care system in German metropolises by utilizing the database of the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. The physicians' practice neighborhood will be analyzed under socioeconomic and demographic perspectives. Therefore, official city districts' statistics will be assigned to the physicians and psychotherapists according to their practice location. Averages of neighborhood indicators will be calculated for each specialty. Moreover, advanced studies will inspect differences by physicians' gender or practice type. Geo-spatial analyses of the intra-city practices distribution will complete the settlement characteristics of physicians and psychotherapists within the outpatient care system in German metropolises. The project "Geo-social Analysis of Physicians' settlement" (GAP) is designed to elucidate gaps of physician coverage within the outpatient care system, dependent on neighborhood residents' social status or ethnics in German metropolises. The methodology of the GAP-Study enables the standardized investigation of physicians' settlement behavior in German metropolises and their inter-city comparisons. The identification of potential gaps within the physicians' coverage should facilitate the delineation of approaches for solving health care inequality problems.

Primary care physician insights into a typology of the complex patient in primary care.

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Loeb, Danielle F; Binswanger, Ingrid A; Candrian, Carey; Bayliss, Elizabeth A

2015-09-01

Primary care physicians play unique roles caring for complex patients, often acting as the hub for their care and coordinating care among specialists. To inform the clinical application of new models of care for complex patients, we sought to understand how these physicians conceptualize patient complexity and to develop a corresponding typology. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with internal medicine primary care physicians from 5 clinics associated with a university hospital and a community health hospital. We used systematic nonprobabilistic sampling to achieve an even distribution of sex, years in practice, and type of practice. The interviews were analyzed using a team-based participatory general inductive approach. The 15 physicians in this study endorsed a multidimensional concept of patient complexity. The physicians perceived patients to be complex if they had an exacerbating factor-a medical illness, mental illness, socioeconomic challenge, or behavior or trait (or some combination thereof)-that complicated care for chronic medical illnesses. This perspective of primary care physicians caring for complex patients can help refine models of complexity to design interventions or models of care that improve outcomes for these patients. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Psychosocial challenges facing physicians of today.

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Arnetz, B B

2001-01-01

Fundamental changes in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care have added new stressors or opportunities to the medical profession. These new potential stressors are in addition to previously recognized external and internal ones. The work environment of physicians poses both psychosocial, ergonomic, and physico-chemical threats. The psychosocial work environment has, if anything, worsened. Demands at work increase at the same time as influence over one's work and intellectual stimulation from work decrease. In addition, violence and the threat of violence is another major occupational health problem physicians increasingly face. Financial constraint, managed care and consumerism in health care are other factors that fundamentally change the role of physicians. The rapid deployment of new information technologies will also change the role of the physician towards being more of an advisor and information provider. Many of the minor health problems will increasingly be managed by patients themselves and by non-physician professionals and practitioners of complementary medicine. Finally, the economic and social status of physicians are challenged which is reflected in a slower salary increase compared to many other professional groups. The picture painted above may be seen as uniformly gloomy. In reality, that is not the case. There is growing interest in and awareness of the importance of the psychosocial work environment for the delivery of high quality care. Physicians under stress are more likely to treat patients poorly, both medically and psychologically. They are also more prone to make errors of judgment. Studies where physicians' work environment in entire hospitals has been assessed, results fed-back, and physicians and management have worked with focused improvement processes, have demonstrated measurable improvements in the ratings of the psychosocial work environment. However, it becomes clear from such studies that quality of the

Physician Decision-Making in the Setting of Advanced Illness: An Examination of Patient Disposition and Physician Religiousness.

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Frush, Benjamin W; Brauer, Simon G; Yoon, John D; Curlin, Farr A

2018-03-01

Little is known about patient and physician factors that affect decisions to pursue more or less aggressive treatment courses for patients with advanced illness. This study sought to determine how patient age, patient disposition, and physician religiousness affect physician recommendations in the context of advanced illness. A survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of U.S. physicians, which included three vignettes depicting advanced illness scenarios: 1) cancer, 2) heart failure, and 3) dementia with acute infection. One vignette included experimental variables to test how patient age and patient disposition affected physician recommendations. After each vignette, physicians indicated their likelihood to recommend disease-directed medical care vs. hospice care. Among eligible physicians (n = 1878), 62% (n = 1156) responded. Patient age and stated patient disposition toward treatment did not significantly affect physician recommendations. Compared with religious physicians, physicians who reported that religious importance was "not applicable" were less likely to recommend chemotherapy (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.39, 95% CI 0.23-0.66) and more likely to recommend hospice (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.15-3.16) for a patient with cancer. Compared with physicians who ever attended religious services, physicians who never attended were less likely to recommend left ventricular assist device placement for a patient with congestive heart failure (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.35-0.92). In addition, Asian ethnicity was independently associated with recommending chemotherapy (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.13-2.61) and being less likely to recommend hospice (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.40-0.91) for the patient with cancer; and it was associated with recommending antibiotics for the patient with dementia and pneumonia (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.08-2.50). This study provides preliminary evidence that patient disposition toward more and less aggressive treatment in advanced illness does not substantially factor

Physician Emigration from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States: Analysis of the 2011 AMA Physician Masterfile

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Tankwanchi, Akhenaten Benjamin Siankam; Özden, Çağlar; Vermund, Sten H.

2013-01-01

Background The large-scale emigration of physicians from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to high-income nations is a serious development concern. Our objective was to determine current emigration trends of SSA physicians found in the physician workforce of the United States. Methods and Findings We analyzed physician data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Health Workforce Statistics along with graduation and residency data from the 2011 American Medical Association Physician Masterfile (AMA-PM) on physicians trained or born in SSA countries who currently practice in the US. We estimated emigration proportions, year of US entry, years of practice before emigration, and length of time in the US. According to the 2011 AMA-PM, 10,819 physicians were born or trained in 28 SSA countries. Sixty-eight percent (n = 7,370) were SSA-trained, 20% (n = 2,126) were US-trained, and 12% (n = 1,323) were trained outside both SSA and the US. We estimated active physicians (age ≤70 years) to represent 96% (n = 10,377) of the total. Migration trends among SSA-trained physicians increased from 2002 to 2011 for all but one principal source country; the exception was South Africa whose physician migration to the US decreased by 8% (−156). The increase in last-decade migration was >50% in Nigeria (+1,113) and Ghana (+243), >100% in Ethiopia (+274), and >200% (+244) in Sudan. Liberia was the most affected by migration to the US with 77% (n = 175) of its estimated physicians in the 2011 AMA-PM. On average, SSA-trained physicians have been in the US for 18 years. They practiced for 6.5 years before US entry, and nearly half emigrated during the implementation years (1984–1999) of the structural adjustment programs. Conclusion Physician emigration from SSA to the US is increasing for most SSA source countries. Unless far-reaching policies are implemented by the US and SSA countries, the current emigration trends will persist, and the US will remain a leading

Physician fees and managed care plans.

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Zwanziger, Jack

2002-01-01

One of the objectives of managed care organizations (MCOs) has been to reduce the rate of growth of health care expenditures, including that of physician fees. Yet, due to a lack of data, no one has been able to determine whether MCOs have been successful in encouraging the growth of price competition in the market for physician services in order to slow the growth in physician fees. This study uses a unique, national-level data set to determine what factors influenced the physician fees that MCOs negotiated during the 1990-92 period. The most influential characteristics were physician supply and managed care penetration, which suggest that the introduction of competition into the health care market was an effective force in reducing physician fees.

Specialist physician knowledge of chronic kidney disease: A comparison of internists and family physicians in West Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel I. Agaba

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Postgraduate training is aimed at equipping the trainee with the necessary skills to practise as an expert. Non-nephrology specialist physicians render the bulk of pre-end-stage renal disease care for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD. We sought to ascertain the knowledge of CKD amongst non-nephrology specialist physicians who serve as trainers and examiners for a training, accrediting and certifying body in postgraduate medicine in West Africa. We also compared the knowledge of family physicians and non-nephrology internists. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to non-nephrology specialist physicians who serve as examiners for the West African College of Physicians. Results: Only 19 (27.5% of the respondents were aware of the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiatives guidelines for CKD management. Twenty five (36.2% of the respondents had adequate knowledge of CKD. There was no significant difference in the proportion of family physicians and non-nephrology internists who had adequate knowledge of CKD (27.3% vs. 40.4% respectively; p = 0.28. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were identified by all of the physicians as risk factors for CKD. Non-nephrology internists more frequently identified systemic lupus erythematosus as a risk factor for CKD, urinalysis with microscopy as a laboratory test for CKD evaluation, and bone disease as a complication of CKD than family physicians. Conclusion: There is a lack of adequate CKD knowledge amongst non-nephrology specialist physicians, since many of them are unaware of the CKD management guidelines. Educational efforts are needed to improve the knowledge of CKD amongst non-nephrology specialist physicians. Guidelines on CKD need to be widely disseminated amongst these physicians.

Swiss physicians' attitudes to assisted suicide: A qualitative and quantitative empirical study.

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Brauer, Susanne; Bolliger, Christian; Strub, Jean-Daniel

2015-01-01

In Switzerland, assisted suicide is legal as long as it does not involve self-serving motives. Physician-assisted suicide is regulated by specific guidelines issued by the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS). This article summarises the results of an empirical study of physicians' attitudes to assisted suicide in Switzerland, which was commissioned by the SAMS. The study (in German) is available online at: www.samw.ch. Twelve qualitative interviews and a written survey were conducted, involving a disproportional, stratified random sample of Swiss physicians (4,837 contacted, 1,318 respondents, response rate 27%). Due to the response rate and the wide variation of respondents from one professional speciality to another, the findings and interpretations presented should be regarded as applying only to the group of physicians who are interested in or are particularly affected by the issue of assisted suicide. They cannot be generalised to the whole body of physicians in Switzerland. Of the respondents, 77% considered physician-assisted suicide to be justifiable in principle, while 22% were fundamentally opposed to it. Although 43% could imagine situations where they would personally be prepared to perform assisted suicide, it is clear from the study that this potential readiness does not mean that all respondents would automatically be prepared to perform it in practice as soon as the legal criteria are met. The vast majority of respondents emphasised that there should be no obligation to perform physician-assisted suicide. Opinions differed as to whether physician-assisted suicide should remain restricted to cases where the person concerned is approaching the end of life. While a large majority of respondents considered physician-assisted suicide also to be justifiable in principle in non-end-of-life situations, 74% supported the maintenance of the end-of-life criterion in the SAMS Guidelines as a necessary condition for physician-assisted suicide. Over 50% of

Physicians' preferences for asthma guidelines implementation.

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Kang, Min-Koo; Kim, Byung-Keun; Kim, Tae-Wan; Kim, Sae-Hoon; Kang, Hye-Ryun; Park, Heung-Woo; Chang, Yoon-Seok; Kim, Sun-Sin; Min, Kyung-Up; Kim, You-Young; Cho, Sang-Heon

2010-10-01

Patient care based on asthma guidelines is cost-effective and leads to improved treatment outcomes. However, ineffective implementation strategies interfere with the use of these recommendations in clinical practice. This study investigated physicians' preferences for asthma guidelines, including content, supporting evidence, learning strategies, format, and placement in the clinical workplace. We obtained information through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was distributed to physicians attending continuing medical education courses and sent to other physicians by airmail, e-mail, and facsimile. A total of 183 physicians responded (male to female ratio, 2.3:1; mean age, 40.4±9.9 years); 89.9% of respondents were internists or pediatricians, and 51.7% were primary care physicians. Physicians preferred information that described asthma medications, classified the disease according to severity and level of control, and provided methods of evaluation/treatment/monitoring and management of acute exacerbation. The most effective strategies for encouraging the use of the guidelines were through continuing medical education and discussions with colleagues. Physicians required supporting evidence in the form of randomized controlled trials and expert consensus. They preferred that the guidelines be presented as algorithms or flow charts/flow diagrams on plastic sheets, pocket cards, or in electronic medical records. This study identified the items of the asthma guidelines preferred by physicians in Korea. Asthma guidelines with physicians' preferences would encourage their implementation in clinical practice.

Medicare Program; Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive Under the Physician Fee Schedule, and Criteria for Physician-Focused Payment Models. Final rule with comment period.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-04

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) repeals the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) methodology for updates to the physician fee schedule (PFS) and replaces it with a new approach to payment called the Quality Payment Program that rewards the delivery of high-quality patient care through two avenues: Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for eligible clinicians or groups under the PFS. This final rule with comment period establishes incentives for participation in certain alternative payment models (APMs) and includes the criteria for use by the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) in making comments and recommendations on physician-focused payment models (PFPMs). Alternative Payment Models are payment approaches, developed in partnership with the clinician community, that provide added incentives to deliver high-quality and cost-efficient care. APMs can apply to a specific clinical condition, a care episode, or a population. This final rule with comment period also establishes the MIPS, a new program for certain Medicare-enrolled practitioners. MIPS will consolidate components of three existing programs, the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Physician Value-based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals (EPs), and will continue the focus on quality, cost, and use of certified EHR technology (CEHRT) in a cohesive program that avoids redundancies. In this final rule with comment period we have rebranded key terminology based on feedback from stakeholders, with the goal of selecting terms that will be more easily identified and understood by our stakeholders.

Job satisfaction among primary health care physicians and nurses in Al-madinah Al-munawwara.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Juhani, Abdullah M; Kishk, Nahla A

2006-01-01

Job satisfaction is the affective orientation that an employee has towards his work. Greater physician satisfaction is associated with greater patient adherence and satisfaction. Nurses' job satisfaction, have great impact on the organizational success. Knowing parts of job dissatisfaction among physicians and nurses is important in forming strategies for retaining them in primary health care (PHC) centers. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the level of job satisfaction among PHC physicians and nurses in Al- Madina Al- Munawwara. Also, to explore the relationship of their personal and job characteristics with job satisfaction. A descriptive cross- sectional epidemiological approach was adopted. A self completion questionnaire was distributed to physicians and nurses at PHC centers. A multi-dimensional job scale adopted by Traynor and Wade (1993) was modified and used. The studied sample included 445 health care providers, 23.6% were physicians and 76.4% were nurses. Job dissatisfaction was highly encountered where 67.1% of the nurses & 52.4% of physicians were dissatisfied. Professional opportunities, patient care and financial reward were the most frequently encountered domains with which physicians were dissatisfied. The dissatisfying domains for majority of nurses were professional opportunities, workload and appreciation reward. Exploring the relation between demographic and job characteristics with job satisfaction revealed that older, male, non-Saudi, specialists physicians had insignificantly higher mean score of job satisfaction than their counterparts. While older, female, non-Saudi, senior nurses had significantly higher mean score than their counterparts. It is highly recommended to reduce workload for nurses and provision of better opportunities promotional for PHC physicians and nurses.

[Company occupational physician and work related stress: from risk assessment to health surveillance].

Science.gov (United States)

Buselli, R; Cristaudo, A

2009-01-01

In Italy the recent safety legislation requires a new committment for the company occupational physician. His duty is a balance between legal requirements and the state of art of prevention. There are many tools to tackle stress at work as a general preventive intervention. The hard challenge of the company physician is to keep all the garantees in terms of prevention and social security for the worker at risk of stress. This paper examines some of the difficulties with current approaches and looks at possible solutions.

Have Non-physician Clinicians Come to Stay? Comment on "Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians".

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Monekosso, Gottlieb Lobe

2016-06-29

A decade ago, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 24% of the global disease burden but was served by only 4% of the global health workforce. The chronic shortage of medical doctors has led other health professionals especially nurses to perform the role of healthcare providers. These health workers have been variously named clinical officers, health officers, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physician associates and non-physician clinicians (NPCs) defined as "health workers who have fewer clinical skills than physicians but more than nurses." Although born out of exigencies, NPCs, like previous initiatives, seem to have come to stay and many more medical doctors are being trained to care for the sick and to supervise other health team members. Physicians also have to assume new roles in the healthcare system with consequent changes in medical education. © 2016 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Mapping and modeling of physician collaboration network.

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Uddin, Shahadat; Hamra, Jafar; Hossain, Liaquat

2013-09-10

Effective provisioning of healthcare services during patient hospitalization requires collaboration involving a set of interdependent complex tasks, which needs to be carried out in a synergistic manner. Improved patients' outcome during and after hospitalization has been attributed to how effective different health services provisioning groups carry out their tasks in a coordinated manner. Previous studies have documented the underlying relationships between collaboration among physicians on the effective outcome in delivering health services for improved patient outcomes. However, there are very few systematic empirical studies with a focus on the effect of collaboration networks among healthcare professionals and patients' medical condition. On the basis of the fact that collaboration evolves among physicians when they visit a common hospitalized patient, in this study, we first propose an approach to map collaboration network among physicians from their visiting information to patients. We termed this network as physician collaboration network (PCN). Then, we use exponential random graph (ERG) models to explore the microlevel network structures of PCNs and their impact on hospitalization cost and hospital readmission rate. ERG models are probabilistic models that are presented by locally determined explanatory variables and can effectively identify structural properties of networks such as PCN. It simplifies a complex structure down to a combination of basic parameters such as 2-star, 3-star, and triangle. By applying our proposed mapping approach and ERG modeling technique to the electronic health insurance claims dataset of a very large Australian health insurance organization, we construct and model PCNs. We notice that the 2-star (subset of 3 nodes in which 1 node is connected to each of the other 2 nodes) parameter of ERG has significant impact on hospitalization cost. Further, we identify that triangle (subset of 3 nodes in which each node is connected to

Physicians in transition: practice due diligence.

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Paterick, Timothy E

2013-01-01

The landscape of healthcare is changing rapidly. That landscape is now a business model of medicine. That rapid change resulting in a business model is affecting physicians professionally and personally. The new business model of medicine has led to large healthcare organizations hiring physicians as employees. The role of a physician as an employee has many limitations in terms of practice and personal autonomy. Employed physicians sign legally binding employment agreements that are written by the legal team working for the healthcare organization. Thus physicians should practice due diligence before signing the employment agreement. "Due diligence" refers to the care a reasonable person should take before entering into an agreement with another party. That reasonable person should seek expertise to represent his or her interests when searching a balanced agreement between the physician and organization.

The impact of new-generation physicians on the function of academic anesthesiology departments.

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Kapur, Patricia A

2007-12-01

Academic departments of anesthesiology have had to adapt a wide variety of clinical and educational work functions to the viewpoints, values and normative expectations of the newer generations of physicians who now present themselves for training as well as for faculty employment. This commentary will elaborate on key points that academic departments must recognize and incorporate into their functional and organizational imperatives in order to remain successful with regard to physician recruitment and retention. Recognition of differences between newer-generation vs. established physician issues and concerns include differences in: learning style, teaching style, approach to clinical schedules and the concept of life-work balance, academic and personal motivation, desire for control of their work experience, effective productivity incentives, as well as communication style issues and implications thereof. The spectrum of physicians who contribute to the impact of these factors on contemporary academic anesthesiology departments include faculty, nonfaculty staff physicians, residents and medical students. Academic departments of anesthesiology which can successfully incorporate the changes and most importantly the functional and organizational flexibility needed to respond to the newer generations' worldview and so-called balanced goals will be able to best attract high-caliber housestaff and future faculty.

Physicians perceptions of an educational support system integrated into an electronic health record.

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Borbolla, Damian; Gorman, Paul; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Mohan, Vishnu; Hersh, William; Otero, Carlos; Luna, Daniel; Gonzalez Bernaldo De Quiros, Fernan

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions by physicians of an educational system integrated into an electronic health record (EHR). Traditional approaches to continuous medical education (CME) have not shown improvement in patient health care outcomes. Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (HIBA) has implemented a system that embeds information pearls into the EHR, providing learning opportunities that are integrated into the patient care process. This study explores the acceptability and general perceptions of the system by physicians when they are in the consulting room. We interviewed 12 physicians after one or two weeks of using this CME system and we performed a thematic analysis of these interviews. The themes that emerged were use and ease of use of the system; value physicians gave to the system; educational impact on physicians; respect for the individual learning styles; content available in the system; and barriers that were present or absent for using the CME system. We found that the integrated CME system developed at HIBA was well accepted and perceived as useful and easy to use. Future work will involve modifications to the system interface, expansion of the content offered and further evaluation.

Exploration of US men's professional sport organization concussion policies.

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Cochrane, Graham Dean; Owen, Matthew; Ackerson, Joseph D; Hale, Matthew H; Gould, Sara

2017-05-01

Concussion policies are increasingly being developed and adopted among professional sports organizations. We sought to compare the policies of the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB). Our objective was to summarize each policy and evaluate the extent to which each policy is organization-specific and/or consistent with medical guidelines. We visited websites for the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. We searched media articles reporting concussion policy. We utilized only publically available data. We collected information on each league's approach to the definition of concussion, education provided about concussion, baseline testing requirements, minimum return to play time and return to play protocol. We found that concussion policies vary across these organizations. Most organizations utilize the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) definition (2013) to define concussion. The NFL and NBA mandate preseason education. All organizations require some type of baseline testing. All organizations require sideline evaluation after suspected concussion. The NFL and MLB require Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) testing for sideline evaluation of suspected concussion. MLB is the only organization to require minimum time before return to play. There is a return to play protocol in place for each organization. The NFL and MLB require independent neurologic consultation as part of their return to play protocol. There is variability in concussion policy among the professional sports organizations. The most pronounced variation from the CISG consensus statement is the variability in the minimum time to return to play. Further, the rules of the individual sports have a role in how concussion policy can be designed and implemented. Professional sports set an example for thousands of recreational sports enthusiasts so their publically available policies on concussion have a large impact.

A profile of solo/two-physician practices.

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Lee, Doohee; Fiack, Kelly James; Knapp, Kenneth Michael

2014-01-01

Understanding practice behaviors of solo/dual physician ownership and associated factors at the national level is important information for policymakers and clinicians in response to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, but poorly understood in the literature. We analyzed nationally representative data (n = 4,720). The study results reveal nearly 33% of the sample reported solo/two-physician practices. Male/minority/older physicians, psychiatrists, favor small practices. Greater market competition was perceived and less charity care was given among solo/two-physician practitioners. The South region was favored by small physician practitioners. Physicians in solo or two-person practices provided fewer services to chronic patients and were dissatisfied with their overall career in medicine. Small practices were favored by international medical graduates (IMGs) and primary care physicians (PCPs). Overall our data suggest that the role of solo/dual physician practices is fading away in the delivery of medicine. Our findings shed light on varied characteristics and practice behaviors of solo/two-physician practitioners, but more research may be needed to reevaluate the potential role of small physician practitioners and find a way to foster a private physician practice model in the context of the newly passed ACA of 2010.

Food allergy knowledge, attitudes and beliefs: Focus groups of parents, physicians and the general public

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barnathan Julia A

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Food allergy prevalence is increasing in US children. Presently, the primary means of preventing potentially fatal reactions are avoidance of allergens, prompt recognition of food allergy reactions, and knowledge about food allergy reaction treatments. Focus groups were held as a preliminary step in the development of validated survey instruments to assess food allergy knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of parents, physicians, and the general public. Methods Eight focus groups were conducted between January and July of 2006 in the Chicago area with parents of children with food allergy (3 groups, physicians (3 groups, and the general public (2 groups. A constant comparative method was used to identify the emerging themes which were then grouped into key domains of food allergy knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. Results Parents of children with food allergy had solid fundamental knowledge but had concerns about primary care physicians' knowledge of food allergy, diagnostic approaches, and treatment practices. The considerable impact of children's food allergies on familial quality of life was articulated. Physicians had good basic knowledge of food allergy but differed in their approach to diagnosis and advice about starting solids and breastfeeding. The general public had wide variation in knowledge about food allergy with many misconceptions of key concepts related to prevalence, definition, and triggers of food allergy. Conclusion Appreciable food allergy knowledge gaps exist, especially among physicians and the general public. The quality of life for children with food allergy and their families is significantly affected.

Evaluating the Impact of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Proposed Nutrition Facts Label Changes on Young Adults' Visual Attention and Purchase Intentions

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Graham, Dan J.; Roberto, Christina A.

2016-01-01

Background: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed modifying the Nutrition Facts Label (NFL) on food packages to increase consumer attention to this resource and to promote healthier dietary choices. Aims: The present study sought to determine whether the proposed NFL changes will affect consumer attention to the NFL or purchase…

Task and socioemotional behaviors of physicians: a test of reciprocity and social interaction theories in analogue physician-patient encounters.

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Roberts, C A; Aruguete, M S

2000-02-01

The purpose of the present study is to assess social interaction and reciprocity theories as explanations for patient responses to a physician in a medical consultation. Social interaction theory predicts that patients mostly recognize and react to socioemotional behavior of their physicians due to a lack of understanding of physician task behaviors or a preoccupation with anxiety. Reciprocity theory predicts that patients recognize socioemotional and task behaviors of their physicians, and they respond to these behaviors in thematically similar ways. We examined these hypotheses by having subjects view one of four videotapes which varied in physician task behavior (thorough or minimum levels of explanation of etiology, symptoms, and treatment) and physician socioemotional behavior (high or low levels of concern and affection displayed verbally and non-verbally). Results supported the general proposition of social interaction theory in that high levels of socioemotional behavior of the physician increased measures of patient self-disclosure, trust, satisfaction, and likelihood of recommending the physician. Physician task behavior had no effect on patient response to the physician, a finding inconsistent with reciprocity theory.

Neurofilament light antibodies in serum reflect response to natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis.

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Amor, Sandra; van der Star, Baukje J; Bosca, Isabel; Raffel, Joel; Gnanapavan, Sharmilee; Watchorn, Jonathan; Kuhle, Jens; Giovannoni, Gavin; Baker, David; Malaspina, Andrea; Puentes, Fabiola

2014-09-01

Increased levels of antibodies to neurofilament light protein (NF-L) in biological fluids have been found to reflect neuroinflammatory responses and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). To evaluate whether levels of serum antibodies against NF-L correlate with clinical variants and treatment response in MS. The autoantibody reactivity to NF-L protein was tested in serum samples from patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) (n=22) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) (n=26). Two other cohorts of RRMS patients under treatment with natalizumab were analysed cross-sectionally (n=16) and longitudinally (n=24). The follow-up samples were taken at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after treatment, and the NF-L antibody levels were compared against baseline levels. NF-L antibodies were higher in MS clinical groups than healthy controls and in RRMS compared to SPMS patients (ptreatment compared with baseline measurements (p=0.001). Drug efficacy in MS treatment indicates the potential use of monitoring the content of antibodies against the NF-L chain as a predictive biomarker of treatment response in MS. © The Author(s) 2014.

Gainsharing Strategies, Physician Champions, Getting Physician Buy In.

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Anoushiravani, Afshin A; Nunley, Ryan M

2017-06-01

As healthcare spending continues to outpace economic growth, legislators and healthcare economists have explored many processes aimed at improving efficiency and reducing waste. Gainsharing or the general concept that organizations and their employees can work together to continually improve outcomes at reduced expenditures in exchange for a portion of the savings has been shown to be effective within the healthcare system. Although gainsharing principles may be applicable to healthcare organizations and their physician partners, specific parameters should be followed when implementing these arrangements. This article will discuss 10 gainsharing strategies aimed at properly aligning healthcare organizations and physicians, which if followed will ensure the successful implementation of gainsharing initiatives. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

42 CFR 414.50 - Physician or other supplier billing for diagnostic tests performed or interpreted by a physician...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... HEALTH SERVICES Physicians and Other Practitioners § 414.50 Physician or other supplier billing for... services through such billing physician or other supplier. The “substantially all” requirement will be satisfied if, at the time the billing physician or other supplier submits a claim for a service furnished by...

United States private-sector physicians and pharmaceutical contract research: a qualitative study.

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Fisher, Jill A; Kalbaugh, Corey A

2012-01-01

There have been dramatic increases over the past 20 years in the number of nonacademic, private-sector physicians who serve as principal investigators on US clinical trials sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. However, there has been little research on the implications of these investigators' role in clinical investigation. Our objective was to study private-sector clinics involved in US pharmaceutical clinical trials to understand the contract research arrangements supporting drug development, and specifically how private-sector physicians engaged in contract research describe their professional identities. We conducted a qualitative study in 2003-2004 combining observation at 25 private-sector research organizations in the southwestern United States and 63 semi-structured interviews with physicians, research staff, and research participants at those clinics. We used grounded theory to analyze and interpret our data. The 11 private-sector physicians who participated in our study reported becoming principal investigators on industry clinical trials primarily because contract research provides an additional revenue stream. The physicians reported that they saw themselves as trial practitioners and as businesspeople rather than as scientists or researchers. Our findings suggest that in addition to having financial motivation to participate in contract research, these US private-sector physicians have a professional identity aligned with an industry-based approach to research ethics. The generalizability of these findings and whether they have changed in the intervening years should be addressed in future studies. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

United States private-sector physicians and pharmaceutical contract research: a qualitative study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jill A Fisher

Full Text Available There have been dramatic increases over the past 20 years in the number of nonacademic, private-sector physicians who serve as principal investigators on US clinical trials sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. However, there has been little research on the implications of these investigators' role in clinical investigation. Our objective was to study private-sector clinics involved in US pharmaceutical clinical trials to understand the contract research arrangements supporting drug development, and specifically how private-sector physicians engaged in contract research describe their professional identities.We conducted a qualitative study in 2003-2004 combining observation at 25 private-sector research organizations in the southwestern United States and 63 semi-structured interviews with physicians, research staff, and research participants at those clinics. We used grounded theory to analyze and interpret our data. The 11 private-sector physicians who participated in our study reported becoming principal investigators on industry clinical trials primarily because contract research provides an additional revenue stream. The physicians reported that they saw themselves as trial practitioners and as businesspeople rather than as scientists or researchers.Our findings suggest that in addition to having financial motivation to participate in contract research, these US private-sector physicians have a professional identity aligned with an industry-based approach to research ethics. The generalizability of these findings and whether they have changed in the intervening years should be addressed in future studies. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Physician-based smoking intervention: a rededication to a five-step strategy to smoking research.

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Ockene, J K; Zapka, J G

1997-01-01

It is well established that physicians can have a significant effect on the smoking behavior of their patients. To do this, attention must be paid to putting in place multiple strategies or mechanisms in the organization where the physician practices, as well as in the macroenvironment (i.e., social and public policy). It has been questioned whether or not there is stagnation in the field of clinical smoking intervention requiring a rededication to basic research regarding smoking. With respect to physician-based smoking intervention, we alternatively suggest that recommitment to all phases of research is essential for moving forward physician-based smoking interventions in the rapidly changing health services and social environment. In this article, we first review the essential framework of the National Cancer Institute's research science approach to cancer prevention and control. Evidence concerning physician-based interventions is then reviewed, followed by a schematic of a comprehensive framework for thinking about the process and intervention components needed for physician-based smoking intervention to take place in the health-care setting, the impact they have, and the eventual outcome of such interventions. There is a discussion of the challenges for the delivery of smoking-cessation services presented by the rapidly changing healthy delivery system of the 1990s. Finally, we present recommendations concerning research priorities for physician-based smoking intervention and the research funding process.

The Evolving Role of Physicians - Don't Forget the Generalist Primary Care Providers Comment on "Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians".

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Cubaka, Vincent Kalumire; Schriver, Michael; Flinkenflögel, Maaike; Cotton, Philip

2016-06-12

The editorial "Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians" by Eyal et al describes non-physician clinicians' (NPC) need for mentorship and support from physicians. We emphasise the same need of support for front line generalist primary healthcare providers who carry out complex tasks yet may have an inadequate skill mix. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Physician-assisted dying: thoughts drawn from Albert Camus' writing.

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Bozzaro, Claudia

2018-03-20

Physician-assisted dying (assisted suicide and euthanasia) is currently an intensely discussed topic in several countries. Despite differences in legislation and application, countries with end-of-life laws have similar eligibility criteria for assistance in dying: individuals must be in a hopeless situation and experience unbearable suffering. Hopelessness, as a basic aspect of the human condition, is a central topic in Albert Camus' philosophical work The Myth of Sisyphus, which addresses the question of suicide. Suffering in the face of a hopeless situation, and the way doctors approach this suffering, is the topic of his novel The Plague, which describes the story of a city confronted with a plague epidemic. In this paper, I draw philosophical and ethical conclusions about physician-assisted dying based on an analysis of central concepts in the work of Camus-specifically, those treated in The Myth of Sisyphus and The Plague. On the basis of my interpretation of Camus' work, I argue that hopelessness and unbearable suffering are useless as eligibility criteria for physician-assisted dying, given that they do not sufficiently elucidate where the line should be drawn between patients who should to be eligible for assistance and those who should not.

Analysis of emergency physicians' Twitter accounts.

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Lulic, Ileana; Kovic, Ivor

2013-05-01

Twitter is one of the fastest growing social media networks for communication between users via short messages. Technology proficient physicians have demonstrated enthusiasm in adopting social media for their work. To identify and create the largest directory of emergency physicians on Twitter, analyse their user accounts and reveal details behind their connections. Several web search tools were used to identify emergency physicians on Twitter with biographies completely or partially written in English. NodeXL software was used to calculate emergency physicians' Twitter network metrics and create visualisation graphs. The authors found 672 Twitter accounts of self-identified emergency physicians. Protected accounts were excluded from the study, leaving 632 for further analysis. Most emergency physicians were located in USA (55.4%), had created their accounts in 2009 (43.4%), used their full personal name (77.5%) and provided a custom profile picture (92.2%). Based on at least one published tweet in the last 15 days, there were 345 (54.6%) active users on 31 December 2011. Active users mostly used mobile devices based on the Apple operating system to publish tweets (69.2%). Visualisation of emergency physicians' Twitter network revealed many users with no connections with their colleagues, and a small group of most influential users who were highly interconnected. Only a small proportion of registered emergency physicians use Twitter. Among them exists a smaller inner network of emergency physicians with strong social bonds that is using Twitter's full potentials for professional development.

Women in rural family medicine: a qualitative exploration of practice attributes that promote physician satisfaction.

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Hustedde, Carol; Paladine, Heather; Wendling, Andrea; Prasad, Rupa; Sola, Orlando; Bjorkman, Sarah; Phillips, Julie

2018-04-01

The USA needs more rural physicians. Although women represent half of all US trained medical students, the rural physician workforce has remained predominantly male. Insight is needed into what makes rural practice attractive for women and which practice characteristics allow women physicians to practice successfully in rural areas. This study's purpose was to examine aspects of the practice environment that impact women physicians' professional satisfaction and commitment to rural medicine. Twenty-five women family physicians practicing in rural areas of the USA were interviewed by phone using a semi-structured format. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using an immersion and crystallization approach. Emergent themes were identified, coded, and discussed until team consensus was attained. Interviews continued until saturation of themes was reached. Three themes emerged from the data, in relationship to practice and employment attributes that contribute to US women physicians' professional satisfaction and willingness to remain in a rural setting: professional relationships, practice characteristics, and support during times of transition. Participants placed high importance on professional relationships, both within and outside of their rural practice. Rural women physicians enjoyed practicing an expanded scope of care, valued loan repayment opportunities, and appreciated supportive practice partners. Importantly, women physicians who found themselves struggling to maintain rural careers often had experienced difficulty during times of practice transition, including maternity leaves. Understanding practice attributes valued by successful rural women family physicians in the USA will help rural health systems, practices, and physicians-in-training to develop and evaluate opportunities that will best contribute to successful rural practice. Supporting women physicians during periods of practice transition may improve retention.

Social Media Use Among Physicians and Trainees: Results of a National Medical Oncology Physician Survey.

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Adilman, Rachel; Rajmohan, Yanchini; Brooks, Edward; Urgoiti, Gloria Roldan; Chung, Caroline; Hammad, Nazik; Trinkaus, Martina; Naseem, Madiha; Simmons, Christine; Adilman, Rachel; Rajmohan, Yanchini; Brooks, Edward; Roldan Urgoiti, Gloria; Chung, Caroline; Hammad, Nazik; Trinkaus, Martina; Naseem, Madiha; Simmons, Christine

2016-01-01

Cancer management requires coordinated care from many health care providers, and its complexity requires physicians be up to date on current research. Web-based social media support physician collaboration and information sharing, but the extent to which physicians use social media for these purposes remains unknown. The complex field of oncology will benefit from increased use of online social media to enhance physician communication, education, and mentorship. To facilitate this, patterns of social media use among oncologists must be better understood. A nine-item survey investigating physician social media use, designed using online survey software, was distributed via e-mail to 680 oncology physicians and physicians in training in Canada. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 207 responses (30%) were received; 72% of respondents reported using social media. Social media use was highest, at 93%, in respondents age 25 to 34 years and lowest, at 39%, in those age 45 to 54 years. This demonstrates a significant gap in social media use between younger users and mid- to late-career users. The main barrier to use was lack of free time. The identified gap in social media use between age cohorts may have negative implications for communication in oncology. Despite advancements in social media and efforts to integrate social media into medical education, most oncologists and trainees use social media rarely, which, along with the age-related gap in use, may have consequences for collaboration and education in oncology. Investigations to further understand barriers to social media use should be undertaken to enhance physician collaboration and knowledge sharing through social media.

Is a management degree worth the investment for physicians? A survey of members of the American College of Physician Executives.

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Weeks, William B; Lazarus, Arthur; Wallace, Amy E

2008-01-01

In a survey of 568 physician members of the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE), most of whom had advanced management degrees (MBA, MMM, MPH), approximately 90% of respondents reported that their investment in the education was "worth it." The return on investment was independent of the quality of the academic institution, although primary care physicians stood to gain more relative to specialists. Salary comparisons showed that female physicians had approximately 20% lower incomes than male physicians, confirming the presence of a "glass ceiling" for female physician executives as seen in other medical specialties. These findings have implications for early and mid-career physicians and physician recruiters.

Evaluating the Impact of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Proposed Nutrition Facts Label Changes on Young Adults' Visual Attention and Purchase Intentions.

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Graham, Dan J; Roberto, Christina A

2016-08-01

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed modifying the Nutrition Facts Label (NFL) on food packages to increase consumer attention to this resource and to promote healthier dietary choices. The present study sought to determine whether the proposed NFL changes will affect consumer attention to the NFL or purchase intentions. This study compared purchase intentions (yes/no responses to "would you purchase this food?" for 64 products) and attention to NFLs (measured via high-speed eye-tracking camera) among 155 young adults randomly assigned to view products with existing versus modified NFLs. Attention to all individual components of the NFL (e.g., calories, fats, sugars) were analyzed separately to assess the impact of each proposed NFL modification on attention to that region. Data were collected in 2014; analysis was conducted in 2015. Modified NFLs did not elicit significantly more visual attention or lead to more healthful purchase intentions than did existing NFLs. Relocating the percent daily value component from the right side of the NFL to the left side, as proposed by the FDA, actually reduced participants' attention to this information. The proposed "added sugars" component was viewed on at least one label by a majority (58%) of participants. Results suggest that the proposed NFL changes may not achieve FDA's goals. Changes to nutrition labeling may need to take a different form to meaningfully influence dietary behavior. Young adults' visual attention and purchase intentions do not appear to be meaningfully affected by the proposed NFL modifications. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Evaluation of non-radiologist physicians' knowledge on aspects related to ionizing radiation in imaging

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Madrigano, Renata Rodrigues [Hospital Santa Helena, Santo Andre, SP (Brazil); Abrao, Karen Cristine; Regacini, Rodrigo, E-mail: regacini@gmail.com [Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Escola de Medicina; Puchnick, Andrea [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Escola Paulista de Medicina

2014-07-15

Objective: to assess the non-radiologist physicians' knowledge on the use of ionizing radiation in imaging. Materials and Methods: cross-sectional study utilizing an anonymous questionnaire responded by physicians in clinical and surgical specialties, divided into two parts as follows: one including questions about the physicians' characteristics, frequency of imaging studies requests and participation in professional updating events, and another part including multiple choice questions approaching general knowledge about radiation, optimization principles and radioprotection. Results: from a total of 309 questionnaires, 120 (38.8%) were responded, 50% by physicians in surgical specialties and 50% in clinical specialties; respectively 45% and 2.5% of physicians responded that magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography use ionizing radiation. Overall, the average grade was higher for surgical specialists with no significant difference, except for the question about exposure in pregnant women (p = 0.047). Physicians who are professionally updated, particularly those attending clinical meetings (p = 0.050) and participating in teaching activities (p = 0.047), showed statistically superior knowledge about ionizing radiation as compared with others. Conclusion: the non-radiologist physicians' is heterogeneous and in some points needs to be improved. Multidisciplinary clinical meetings and teaching activities are important ways to disseminate information on the subject. (author)

Apheresis training for nurses and physicians around the World.

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Neyrinck, Marleen; Vrielink, Hans

2015-02-01

A training program for apheresis nurses in leukocyte collection and therapeutic apheresis was developed by the Joint Task Force for Apheresis Education and Certification. This is a modular program with theoretical and practical information and knowledge. On request of the Indonesian authorities, in the capital of Indonesia Jakarta, a certification course for apheresis nurses/operators based on the training program described above was organized in December 2013. The course existed of themes related to apheresis, such as hematology, anatomy, physiology, calculations, adverse events, basics of apheresis, nursing aspects, quality, collection of cells for cellular therapies, pediatrics, and therapeutic collections (cell reductions and exchange procedures). A pretest and post-test regarding the knowledge and judgment in the themes described was taken in Bahasa Indonesia or in English. In total, 38 apheresis nurses and 32 physicians participated in the course. In the post-test, the nurses scored in a mean 72/100 and the physicians 77/100 (nurses vs. physicians: P = 0.005), which was significantly better than the results of the pretest (54/100 and 53/100, respectively (P nurses/operators proved a significant increase of knowledge in the theory behind apheresis. This educational program provides an approach to educate and certificate apheresis nurses. It is also shown that also for physicians working in the field of apheresis, this course is of use increasing their knowledge regarding apheresis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Achieving Gender Equity in Physician Compensation and Career Advancement: A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians.

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Butkus, Renee; Serchen, Joshua; Moyer, Darilyn V; Bornstein, Sue S; Hingle, Susan Thompson

2018-05-15

Women comprise more than one third of the active physician workforce, an estimated 46% of all physicians-in-training, and more than half of all medical students in the United States. Although progress has been made toward gender diversity in the physician workforce, disparities in compensation exist and inequities have contributed to a disproportionately low number of female physicians achieving academic advancement and serving in leadership positions. Women in medicine face other challenges, including a lack of mentors, discrimination, gender bias, cultural environment of the workplace, imposter syndrome, and the need for better work-life integration. In this position paper, the American College of Physicians summarizes the unique challenges female physicians face over the course of their careers and provides recommendations to improve gender equity and ensure that the full potential of female physicians is realized.

Physician-centered management guidelines.

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Pulde, M F

1999-01-01

The "Fortune 500 Most Admired" companies fully understand the irreverent premise "the customer comes second" and that there is a direct correlation between a satisfied work force and productivity, service quality, and, ultimately, organizational success. If health care organizations hope to recruit and retain the quality workforce upon which their core competency depends, they must develop a vision strategic plan, organizational structure, and managerial style that acknowledges the vital and central role of physicians in the delivery of care. This article outlines a conceptual framework for effective physician management, a "critical pathway," that will enable health care organizations to add their name to the list of "most admired." The nine principles described in this article are based on a more respectful and solicitous treatment of physicians and their more central directing role in organizational change. They would permit the transformation of health care into a system that both preserves the virtues of the physician-patient relationship and meets the demand for quality and cost-effectiveness.

Administrative skills for academy physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Aluise, J J; Schmitz, C C; Bland, C J; McArtor, R E

To function effectively within the multifaceted environment of the academic medical center, academic physicians need to heighten their understanding of the economics of the health care system, and further develop their leadership and managerial skills. A literature base on organizational development and management education is now available, which addresses the unique nature of the professional organization, including academic medical centers. This article describes an administration development curriculum for academic physicians. Competency statements, instructional strategies, and references provide health care educators with a model for developing administrative skills programs for academic physicians and other health care professionals. The continuing success of the academic medical center as a responsive health care system may depend on the degree to which academic physicians and their colleagues in other fields gain sophistication in self-management and organizational administration. Health care educators can apply the competencies and instructional strategies offered in this article to administrative development programs for physicians and other health professionals in their institutions.

Is the Role of Physicians Really Evolving Due to Non-physician Clinicians Predominance in Staff Makeup in Sub-Saharan African Health Systems? Comment on "Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians".

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Sidat, Mohsin M

2016-07-02

Health workforce shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa are widely recognized, particularly of physicians, leading the training and deployment of Non-physician clinicians (NPCs). The paper by Eyal et al provides interesting and legitimate viewpoints on evolving role of physicians in context of decisive increase of NPCss in Sub-Saharan Africa. Certainly, in short or mid-term, NPCs will continue to be a proxy solution and a valuable alternative to overcome physicians' shortages in sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, NPCs have an important role at primary healthcare (PHC) level. Physicians at PHC level can certainly have all different roles that were suggested by Eyal et al, including those not directly related to healthcare provision. However, at secondary and higher levels of healthcare, physicians would assume other roles that are mainly related to patient clinical care. Thus, attempting to generalize the role of physicians without taking into account the context where they will work would be not entirely appropriate. It is true that often physicians start the professional carriers at PHC level and progress to other levels of healthcare particularly after clinical post-graduation training. Nevertheless, the training programs offered by medical institutions in sub-Saharan Africa need to be periodically reviewed and take into account professional and occupational roles physicians would take in context of evolving health systems in sub-Saharan Africa. © 2016 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Is that your pager or mine: a survey of women academic family physicians in dual physician families.

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Schrager, Sarina; Kolan, Anne; Dottl, Susan L

2007-08-01

This study explored the unique challenges and strategies of women in academic family medicine who are in dual physician families. An e-mail survey was sent to all female physician members of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) who were listed in the on-line database. The survey collected demographic information, details of job descriptions and family life, and included 3 open-ended questions about the experiences of dual physician families. Over 1200 surveys were sent to women physicians in academic family medicine. One hundred fifty-nine surveys were returned. Half of all women worked full time compared to 87% of their partners. Most women reported benefits of having a physician partner including support and having an understanding person at home, though scheduling conflicts and childcare responsibilities contributed to the need for job compromises. Women prioritized finding work-life balance and having supportive partners and mentors as most important to their success as academic family physicians. Dual physician relationships involve rewards and conflicts. More research should explore the competing demands of family life with success in academic medicine.

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Lisfranc Injuries Identified at the National Football League Scouting Combine.

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McHale, Kevin J; Vopat, Bryan G; Beaulieu-Jones, Brendin R; Sanchez, George; Whalen, James M; McDonald, Lucas S; DiGiovanni, Christopher W; Theodore, George H; Provencher, Matthew T

2017-07-01

Lisfranc injuries are challenging to treat and may have a detrimental effect on athletic performance. (1) Determine the epidemiological characteristics of Lisfranc injuries at the annual National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine, (2) define player positions at risk for these injuries, and (3) evaluate the impact that these injuries and radiographic findings have on NFL draft position and performance. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. All players who sustained a Lisfranc injury prior to Combine evaluation between 2009 and 2015 were evaluated. The epidemiological characteristics, player positions affected, treatment methods, and number of missed collegiate games were recorded. Radiographic outcomes were analyzed via Combine radiograph findings, while NFL performance outcomes were assessed for all Lisfranc injuries (2009-2013) compared with matched controls in the first 2 years of play. A total of 41 of 2162 (1.8%) Combine participants were identified with Lisfranc injuries, of whom 26 of 41 (63.4%) were managed operatively. Players who underwent surgery were more likely to go undrafted compared with players managed nonoperatively (38.5% vs 13.3%, operative vs nonoperative management, respectively; P = .04) and featured a worse NFL draft pick position (155.6 vs 109; P = .03). Lisfranc-injured players when compared with controls were noted to have worse outcomes in terms of NFL draft position (142 vs 111.3, Lisfranc-injured players vs controls, respectively; P = .04), NFL career length 2 years or longer (62.5% vs 69.6%; P = .23), and number of games played (16.9 vs 23.3; P = .001) and started (6.8 vs 10.5; P = .08) within the first 2 years of their NFL career. Radiographs demonstrated that 17 of 41 (41.5%) athletes had residual Lisfranc joint displacement greater than 2 mm compared with the contralateral foot. Lisfranc-injured athletes with greater than 2 mm residual displacement, when compared with matched controls, had worse draft position (156.9 vs 111.2 for

Uterine cancer in the writings of ancient Greek physicians.

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Tsoucalas, Gregory; Karamanou, Marianna; Sgantzos, Markos; Deligeoroglou, Efthimios; Androutsos, George

2015-01-01

In this article, we present the views on uterine cancer of the ancient Greek physicians. We emphasize on uterine's cancer aetiology according to the dominant in antiquity humoural theory, on its surgical treatment suggested by Soranus of Ephesus, and in the vivid description provided by Aretaeus of Cappadocia. During that period, uterine cancer was considered as an incurable and painful malignancy and its approach was mainly palliative.

Monitoring quality in Israeli primary care: The primary care physicians' perspective

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Nissanholtz-Gannot Rachel

2012-06-01

program was widespread even among physicians who are young, board-certified in family medicine, and salaried. Many physicians also reported that various problems had emerged to a great or very great extent: a heavier workload (65%, over-competitiveness (60%, excessive managerial pressure (48%, and distraction from other clinical issues (35%. In addition, there was some criticism of the quality of the measures themselves. Respondents also identified approaches to addressing these problems. Conclusions The findings provide perspective on the anecdotal reports of physician opposition to the monitoring program; they may well accurately reflect the views of the small number of physicians directly involved, but they do not reflect the views of primary care physicians as a whole, who are generally quite supportive of the program. At the same time, the study confirms the existence of several perceived problems. Some of these problems, such as excess managerial pressure, can probably best be addressed by the health plans themselves; while others, such as the need to refine the quality indicators, are probably best addressed at the national level. Cooperation between primary care physicians and health plan managers, which has been an essential component of the program's success thus far, can also play an important role in addressing the problems identified.

Difficulties facing physician mothers in Japan.

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Yamazaki, Yuka; Kozono, Yuki; Mori, Ryo; Marui, Eiji

2011-11-01

Despite recent increases in the number of female physicians graduating in Japan, their premature resignations after childbirth are contributing to the acute shortage of physicians. Previous Japanese studies have explored supportive measures in the workplace, but have rarely focused on the specific problems or concerns of physician-mothers. Therefore, this study explored the challenges facing Japanese physician-mothers in efforts to identify solutions for their retention. Open-ended questionnaires were mailed to 646 alumnae of Juntendo University School of Medicine. We asked subjects to describe their opinions about 'The challenges related to female physicians' resignations'. Comments gathered from alumnae who graduated between 6 and 30 years ago and have children were analyzed qualitatively. Overall, 249 physicians returned the questionnaire (response rate 38.5%), and 73 alumnae with children who graduated in the stated time period provided comments. The challenges facing physician-mothers mainly consisted of factors associated with Japanese society, family responsibilities, and work environment. Japanese society epitomized by traditional gender roles heightened stress related to family responsibilities and promoted gender discrimination at work environment. Additionally, changing Japanese society positively influenced working atmosphere and husband's support. Moreover, the introduction of educational curriculums that alleviated traditional gender role was proposed for pre- and post- medical students. Traditional gender roles encourage discrimination by male physicians or work-family conflicts. The problems facing female physicians involve more than just family responsibilities: diminishing the notion of gender role is key to helping retain them in the workforce. © 2011 Tohoku University Medical Press

Physicians' messages in problematic sickness certification: a narrative analysis of case reports

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Rudebeck Carl

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many physicians find sickness certification tasks problematic. There is some knowledge about situations that are experienced as problematic, whereas less is understood about how physicians respond to the problems they face. One way to acquire such knowledge is to consider "reflection-in-action", aspects of which are expressed in the physician's interpretation of the patient's story. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge about the meaning content of case reports about problematic sickness certification. Specifically, we looked for possible messages to the colleagues intended to read the reports. Methods A narrative approach was used to analyse reports about problematic sickness certification cases that had been written by GPs and occupational health service physicians as part of a sickness insurance course. The analysis included elements from both thematic and structural analysis. Nineteen case reports were used in the actual analysis and 25 in the validation of the results. Main narrative qualities and structural features of the written case reports were explored. Results Five types of messages were identified in the case reports, here classified as "a call for help", "a call for understanding", "hidden worries", "in my opinion", and "appearing neutral". In the reports, the physicians tried to achieve neutrality in their writing, and the patients' stories tended to be interpreted within a traditional biomedical framework. In some cases there was an open request for help, in others it was not obvious that the physician had any problems. Overall, the messages were about having problems as such, rather than the specific features of the problems. Conclusions The case reports clearly demonstrated different ways of writing about problems that arise during sickness certification, from being neutral and not mentioning the problems to being emotionally involved and asking for help. The general character of the messages suggests

Developing physician-leaders: a call to action.

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Stoller, James K

2009-07-01

The many challenges in health care today create a special need for great leadership. However, traditional criteria for physicians' advancement to leadership positions often regard academic and/or clinical accomplishments rather than the distinctive competencies needed to lead. Furthermore, physicians' training can handicap their developing leadership skills. In this context, an emerging trend is for health-care institutions to offer physician-leadership programs. This paper reviews the rationale for developing physician-leaders. Factors that underscore this need include: (1) physicians may lack inclinations to collaborate and to follow, (2) health-care organizations pose challenging environments in which to lead (e.g., because of silo-based structures, etc.), (3) traditional criteria for advancement in medicine regard clinical and/or academic skills rather than leadership competencies, and (4) little attention is currently given to training physicians regarding leadership competencies. Definition of these competencies of ideal physician-leaders will inform the curricula and format of emerging physician leadership development programs.

Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament tracks fMRI correlates of attention at the first attack of multiple sclerosis.

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Tortorella, C; Direnzo, V; Taurisano, P; Romano, R; Ruggieri, M; Zoccolella, S; Mastrapasqua, M; Popolizio, T; Blasi, G; Bertolino, A; Trojano, M

2015-04-01

Identifying markers of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) is extremely challenging since it means supplying potential biomarkers for neuroprotective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between fMRI correlates of attention performance and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light chain (NFL) levels in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) suggestive of MS. Twenty-one untreated, cognitively preserved CIS patients underwent BOLD-fMRI while performing the Variable Attentional Control (VAC) task, a cognitive paradigm requiring increasing levels of attentional control processing. CSF NFL was assessed by ELISA technique. SPM8 random-effects models were used for statistical analyses of fMRI data (p<0.05 corrected). Repeated-measures ANOVA on imaging data showed an interaction between attentional control load and NFL levels in the right putamen. At the high level of attentional control demand CIS patients with "low NFL levels" showed greater activity in the putamen compared with subjects with "high NFL levels" (p=0.001). These results are independent of cognitive impairment index. Our findings suggest a relationship between CSF NFL levels and load-dependent failure of putaminal recruitment pattern during sustained attention in CIS and suggest a role of CSF NFL as a marker of subclinical abnormality of cognitive pathway recruitment in CIS. © The Author(s), 2014.

Family Violence and Family Physicians

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Herbert, Carol P.

1991-01-01

The acronym IDEALS summarizes family physicians' obligations when violence is suspected: to identify family violence; document injuries; educate families and ensure safety for victims; access resources and coordinate care; co-operate in the legal process; and provide support for families. Failure to respond reflects personal and professional experience and attitudes, fear of legal involvement, and lack of knowledge. Risks of intervention include physician burnout, physician overfunctioning, escalation of violence, and family disruption. PMID:21228987

In defense of industry-physician relationships.

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Nakayama, Don K

2010-09-01

The objective was to examine the economic, ethical, and legal foundations for conflict of interest restrictions between physicians and pharmaceutical and medical device industries ("industry"). Recently academic medical centers and professional organizations have adopted policies that restrict permissible interactions between industry and physicians. The motive is to avoid financial conflicts of interest that compromise core values of altruism and fiduciary relationships. Productive relationships between industry and physicians provide novel drugs and devices of immense benefit to society. The issues are opposing views of medical economics, profit motives, medical professionalism, and extent to which interactions should be lawfully restricted. Industry goals are congruent with those of physicians: patient welfare, safety, and running a profitable business. Profits are necessary to develop drugs and devices. Physician collaborators invent products, refine them, and provide feedback and so are appropriately paid. Marketing is necessary to bring approved products to patients. Economic realities limit the extent to which physicians treat their patients altruistically and as fiduciaries. Providing excellent service to patients may be a more realistic standard. Statements from industry and the American College of Surgeons appropriately guide professional behavior. Preservation of industry-physician relationships is vital to maintain medical innovation and progress.

Regulatory focus affects physician risk tolerance.

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Veazie, Peter J; McIntosh, Scott; Chapman, Benjamin P; Dolan, James G

2014-01-01

Risk tolerance is a source of variation in physician decision-making. This variation, if independent of clinical concerns, can result in mistaken utilization of health services. To address such problems, it will be helpful to identify nonclinical factors of risk tolerance, particularly those amendable to intervention-regulatory focus theory suggests such a factor. This study tested whether regulatory focus affects risk tolerance among primary care physicians. Twenty-seven primary care physicians were assigned to promotion-focused or prevention-focused manipulations and compared on the Risk Taking Attitudes in Medical Decision Making scale using a randomization test. Results provide evidence that physicians assigned to the promotion-focus manipulation adopted an attitude of greater risk tolerance than the physicians assigned to the prevention-focused manipulation (p = 0.01). The Cohen's d statistic was conventionally large at 0.92. Results imply that situational regulatory focus in primary care physicians affects risk tolerance and may thereby be a nonclinical source of practice variation. Results also provide marginal evidence that chronic regulatory focus is associated with risk tolerance (p = 0.05), but the mechanism remains unclear. Research and intervention targeting physician risk tolerance may benefit by considering situational regulatory focus as an explanatory factor.

Medicare payment changes and physicians' incomes.

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Weeks, William B; Wallace, Amy E

2002-01-01

An effort to control the physician portion of Medicare expenditures and to narrow the income gap between primary care and procedure-based physicians was effected through t he enactment of the Medicare Fee Schedule (MFS). To determine whether academic and private sector physicians' incomes had demonstrated changes consistent with payment changes, we collected income information from surveys of private sector physicians and academic physicians in six specialties: (1) family practice; (2) general internal medicine; (3) psychiatry; (4) general surgery; (5) radiology; and (6) anesthesiology. With the exception of general internal medicine, the anticipated changes in Medicare revenue were not closely associated with income changes in either the academic or private sector group. Academic physicians were underpaid, relative to their private sector counterparts, but modestly less so at the end of the period examined. Our findings suggest that using changes in payment schedules to change incomes in order to influence the attractiveness of different specialties, even with a very large payer, may be ineffective. Should academic incomes remain uncompetitive with private sector incomes, it may be increasingly difficult to persuade physicians to enter academic careers.

Career satisfaction and burnout among Ghanaian physicians.

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Opoku, Samuel T; Apenteng, Bettye A

2014-03-01

Thus far, there has been limited inquiry into the factors associated with physician career satisfaction and burnout in Ghana, although the two have been linked to the brain drain problem. The objective of this study was to assess career satisfaction and burnout among physicians practicing in a developing nation, Ghana. A 21-item instrument was used to assess career satisfaction among actively practicing Ghanaian physicians, using items adapted from the Physician Worklife Study survey. Burnout was assessed using the Abbreviated Maslach's Burnout Inventory. Two hundred physicians participated in the online survey from December 2012 to February 2013. Generally, physicians in Ghana expressed moderate overall career satisfaction. However, they were least satisfied with the availability of resources, their compensation and work-life balance. Overall, burnout was low in the study population; however physicians exhibited moderate levels of emotional exhaustion. Career satisfaction was negatively associated with the burnout dimensions of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment. Health policy-makers in Ghana should address issues relating to resource adequacy, compensation and the work-life balance of physicians in order to improve the overall career satisfaction of an already dwindling physician workforce.

Developing a competency framework for academic physicians.

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Daouk-Öyry, Lina; Zaatari, Ghazi; Sahakian, Tina; Rahal Alameh, Boushra; Mansour, Nabil

2017-03-01

There is a mismatch between the requirements of the multifaceted role of academic physicians and their education. Medical institutions use faculty development initiatives to support their junior academic physicians, however, these rarely revolve around academic physician competencies. The aim of this study was to identify these academic physician competencies and develop a competency framework customized to an organizational context. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews and Critical Incident Technique with 25 academic physicians at a teaching medical center in the Middle East region inquiring about the behaviors of academic physicians in teaching, clinical, research, and administrative roles. Using content analysis, the authors identified 16 competencies: five "Supporting Competencies", common to all four roles of academic physicians, and 11 "Function-Specific Competencies", specific to the role being fulfilled. The developed framework shared similarities with frameworks reported in the literature but also had some distinctions. The framework developed represents a step towards closing the gap between the skills medical students are taught and the skills required of academic physicians. The model was customized to the context of the current organization and included a future orientation and addressed the literature calling for increasing focus on the administrative skills of academic physicians.

38 CFR 51.150 - Physician services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... case of an emergency. (e) Physician delegation of tasks. (1) Except as specified in paragraph (e)(2) of... by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section. (d) Availability of physicians for emergency care. The facility management...

(Re)disclosing physician financial interests: rebuilding trust or making unreasonable burdens on physicians?

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Sperling, Daniel

2017-06-01

Recent professional guidelines published by the General Medical Council instruct physicians in the UK to be honest and open in any financial agreements they have with their patients and third parties. These guidelines are in addition to a European policy addressing disclosure of physician financial interests in the industry. Similarly, In the US, a national open payments program as well as Federal regulations under the Affordable Care Act re-address the issue of disclosure of physician financial interests in America. These new professional and legal changes make us rethink the fiduciary duties of providers working under new organizational and financial schemes, specifically their clinical fidelity and their moral and professional obligations to act in the best interests of patients. The article describes the legal changes providing the background for such proposals and offers a prima facie ethical analysis of these evolving issues. It is argued that although disclosure of conflicting interest may increase trust it may not necessarily be beneficial to patients nor accord with their expectations and needs. Due to the extra burden associated with disclosure as well as its implications on the medical profession and the therapeutic relationship, it should be held that transparency of physician financial interest should not result in mandatory disclosure of such interest by physicians. It could lead, as some initiatives in Europe and the US already demonstrate, to voluntary or mandatory disclosure schemes carried out by the industry itself. Such schemes should be in addition to medical education and the address of the more general phenomenon of physician conflict of interest in ethical codes and ethical training of the parties involved.

What differentiates primary care physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics for treating mild to moderate hypertension from those who do not? A comparative qualitative study.

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Rochefort, Christian M; Morlec, Julia; Tamblyn, Robyn M

2012-02-29

Thiazide diuretics are cost-effective for the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, but physicians often opt for more expensive treatment options such as angiotensin II receptor blockers or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. With escalating health care costs, there is a need to elucidate the factors influencing physicians' treatment choices for this highly prevalent chronic condition. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of physicians' decision-making process regarding hypertension treatment choices. A comparative qualitative study was conducted in 2009 in the Canadian province of Quebec. Overall, 29 primary care physicians--who are also participating in an electronic health record research program--participated in a semi-structured interview about their prescribing decisions. Physicians were categorized into two groups based on their patterns of prescribing antihypertensive drugs: physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics, and physicians who predominantly prescribe drug classes other than diuretics. Cases of hypertension that were newly started on antihypertensive therapy were purposely selected from each physician's electronic health record database. Chart stimulated recall interview, a technique utilizing patient charts to probe recall and provide context to physician decision-making during clinical encounters, was used to elucidate reasons for treatment choices. Interview transcripts were synthesized using content analysis techniques, and factors influencing physicians' decision making were inductively generated from the data. We identified three themes that differentiated physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics from those who predominantly prescribe other drug classes for the initial treatment of mild to moderate hypertension: a) perceptions about the efficacy of diuretics, b) preferred approach to hypertension management and, c) perceptions about hypertension guidelines. Specifically, physicians had

What differentiates primary care physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics for treating mild to moderate hypertension from those who do not? A comparative qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rochefort Christian M

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Thiazide diuretics are cost-effective for the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, but physicians often opt for more expensive treatment options such as angiotensin II receptor blockers or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. With escalating health care costs, there is a need to elucidate the factors influencing physicians' treatment choices for this highly prevalent chronic condition. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of physicians' decision-making process regarding hypertension treatment choices. Methods A comparative qualitative study was conducted in 2009 in the Canadian province of Quebec. Overall, 29 primary care physicians--who are also participating in an electronic health record research program--participated in a semi-structured interview about their prescribing decisions. Physicians were categorized into two groups based on their patterns of prescribing antihypertensive drugs: physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics, and physicians who predominantly prescribe drug classes other than diuretics. Cases of hypertension that were newly started on antihypertensive therapy were purposely selected from each physician's electronic health record database. Chart stimulated recall interview, a technique utilizing patient charts to probe recall and provide context to physician decision-making during clinical encounters, was used to elucidate reasons for treatment choices. Interview transcripts were synthesized using content analysis techniques, and factors influencing physicians' decision making were inductively generated from the data. Results We identified three themes that differentiated physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics from those who predominantly prescribe other drug classes for the initial treatment of mild to moderate hypertension: a perceptions about the efficacy of diuretics, b preferred approach to hypertension management and, c perceptions about

Relationship between physicians' perceived stigma toward depression and physician referral to psycho-oncology services on an oncology/hematology ward.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Won-Hyoung; Bae, Jae-Nam; Lim, Joohan; Lee, Moon-Hee; Hahm, Bong-Jin; Yi, Hyeon Gyu

2018-03-01

This study was performed to identify relationships between physicians' perceived stigma toward depression and psycho-oncology service utilization on an oncology/hematology ward. The study participants were 235 patients in an oncology/hematology ward and 14 physicians undergoing an internal medicine residency training program in Inha University Hospital (Incheon, South Korea). Patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and residents completed the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination scale that evaluates perceived stigma toward depression. A total PHQ-9 score of ≥5 was defined as clinically significant depression. Physicians decided on referral on the basis of their opinions and those of their patients. The correlates of physicians' recommendation for referral to psycho-oncology services and real referrals psycho-oncology services were examined. Of the 235 patients, 143 had PHQ-9 determined depression, and of these 143 patients, 61 received psycho-oncology services. Physicians recommended that 87 patients consult psycho-oncology services. Multivariate analyses showed that lower physicians' perceived stigma regarding depression was significantly associated with physicians' recommendation for referral, and that real referral to psycho-oncology services was significantly associated with presence of a hematologic malignancy and lower physicians' perceived stigma toward depression. Physicians' perceived stigma toward depression was found to be associated with real referral to psycho-oncology services and with physician recommendation for referral to psycho-oncology services. Further investigations will be needed to examine how to reduce physicians' perceived stigma toward depression. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Administrative skills for academic physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Aluise, J J; Scmitz, C C; Bland, C J; McArtor, R E

1989-01-01

To function effectively within the multifaceted environment of the academic medical center, academic physicians need to heighten their understanding of the economics of the health care system, and further develop their leadership and managerial skills. A literature base on organizational development and management education now exists that addresses the unique nature of the professional organization, including academic medical centers. This article describes an administration development curriculum for academic physicians. Competency statements, instructional strategies and references provide the academic physician with guidelines for expanding their professional expertise to include organizational and management skills. The continuing success of the academic medical center as a responsive health care system may depend upon the degree to which academic physicians gain sophistication in self-management and organizational administration.

Effects of compensation methods and physician group structure on physicians' perceived incentives to alter services to patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Reschovsky, James D; Hadley, Jack; Landon, Bruce E

2006-08-01

To examine how health plan payment, group ownership, compensation methods, and other practice management tools affect physician perceptions of whether their overall financial incentives tilt toward increasing or decreasing services to patients. Nationally representative data on physicians are from the 2000-2001 Community Tracking Study Physician Survey (N=12,406). Ordered and multinomial logistic regression were used to explore how physician, group, and market characteristics are associated with physician reports of whether overall financial incentives are to increase services, decrease services, or neither. Seven percent of physicians report financial incentives are to reduce services to patients, whereas 23 percent report incentives to increase services. Reported incentives to reduce services were associated with reports of lower ability to provide quality care. Group revenue in the form of capitation was associated with incentives to reduce services whereas practice ownership and variable compensation and bonuses for employee physicians were mostly associated with incentives to increase services to patients. Full ownership of groups, productivity incentives, and perceived competitive markets for patients were associated with incentives to both increase and reduce services. Practice ownership and the ways physicians are compensated affect their perceived incentives to increase or decrease services to patients. In the latter case, this adversely affects perceived quality of care and satisfaction, although incentives to increase services may also have adverse implications for quality, cost, and insurance coverage.

ANALYSIS OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES’ ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DIRECTED TO PHYSICIANS IN EGYPT

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M. M. Bahlol

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Pharmaceutical market is one of the largest world markets with its own conditions. In Middle East, Egypt is a major pharmaceutical emerging market and has geographical, historical and political effective leading role among Arab countries. This research aims to investigate pharmaceutical companies’ activities in Egypt directed to physicians.Methodology. Urveying through simple random probability sampling is the approach appropriate for broad and representative overview of situation in research. Therefore, a survey of 1068 physicians was conducted through interviews and establishing structured data collection questionnaire.Originality. This is the first empirical paper to investigate pharmaceutical companies’ activities directed to physicians in pharmaceutical market of Egypt. These activities include identifying pharmaceutical companies through visits of medical representatives, analysis of those visits, frequency of medical representatives’ visits, characteristics of information introduced by medical representatives to physicians, physicians’ trust in provided information, spending of pharmaceutical companies on physicians, promotional techniques applied by medical representatives. These findings are useful for managers in pharmaceutical industry. They can be also useful in other industries such as medical equipment.Findings. Pharmaceutical companies are employing medical representatives widely, as the most effective and widely-applied promotion tool in Egypt.Practical Implications. Coordinate marketing management vision with pharmaceutical market real context will lead to synergism effect in utilizing medical representatives’ activities.

Effects of systematic asymmetric discounting on physician-patient interactions: a theoretical framework to explain poor compliance with lifestyle counseling

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Fleischer Alan B

2002-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study advances the use of a utility model to model physician-patient interactions from the perspectives of physicians and patients. Presentation of the hypothesis In cases involving acute care, patient counseling involves a relatively straightforward transfer of information from the physician to a patient. The patient has less information than the physician on the impact the condition and its treatment have on utility. In decisions involving lifestyle changes, the patient may have more information than the physician on his/her utility of consumption; moreover, differences in discounting future health may contribute significantly to differences between patients' preferences and physicians' recommendations. Testing the hypothesis The expectation of differences in internal discount rate between patients and their physicians is discussed. Implications of the hypothesis This utility model provides a conceptual basis for the finding that educational approaches alone may not effect changes in patient behavior and suggests other economic variables that could be targeted in the attempt to produce healthier behavior.

Discussion of “Attitude of Physicians Towards Automatic Alerting in Computerized Physician Order Entry Systems”

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bates, D. W.; Baysari, M. T.; Dugas, M.

2013-01-01

With these comments on the paper “Attitude of Physicians Towards Automatic Alerting in Computerized Physician Order Entry Systems”, written by Martin Jung and coauthors, with Dr. Elske Ammenwerth as senior author, the journal wants to stimulate a broad discussion on computerized physician order...... entry systems. An international group of experts have been invited by the editor of Methods to comment on this paper. Each of the invited commentaries forms one section of this paper....

Impact of Skill-Based Approaches in Reducing Stigma in Primary Care Physicians: Results from a Double-Blind, Parallel-Cluster, Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Beaulieu, Tara; Patten, Scott; Knaak, Stephanie; Weinerman, Rivian; Campbell, Helen; Lauria-Horner, Bianca

2017-05-01

Most interventions to reduce stigma in health professionals emphasize education and social contact-based strategies. We sought to evaluate a novel skill-based approach: the British Columbia Adult Mental Health Practice Support Program. We sought to determine the program's impact on primary care providers' stigma and their perceived confidence and comfort in providing care for mentally ill patients. We hypothesized that enhanced skills and increased comfort and confidence on the part of practitioners would lead to diminished social distance and stigmatization. Subsequently, we explored the program's impact on clinical outcomes and health care costs. These outcomes are reported separately, with reference to this article. In a double-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial, 111 primary care physicians were assigned to intervention or control groups. A validated stigma assessment tool, the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC), was administered to both groups before and after training. Confidence and comfort were assessed using scales constructed from ad hoc items. In the primary analysis, no significant differences in stigma were found. However, a subscale assessing social distance showed significant improvement in the intervention group after adjustment for a variable (practice size) that was unequally distributed in the randomization. Significant increases in confidence and comfort in managing mental illness were observed among intervention group physicians. A positive correlation was found between increased levels of confidence/comfort and improvements in overall stigma, especially in men. This study provides some preliminary evidence of a positive impact on health care professionals' stigma through a skill-building approach to management of mild to moderate depression and anxiety in primary care. The intervention can be used as a primary vehicle for enhancing comfort and skills in health care providers and, ultimately, reducing an important

Ethics and the Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide: An American College of Physicians Position Paper.

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Snyder Sulmasy, Lois; Mueller, Paul S

2017-10-17

Calls to legalize physician-assisted suicide have increased and public interest in the subject has grown in recent years despite ethical prohibitions. Many people have concerns about how they will die and the emphasis by medicine and society on intervention and cure has sometimes come at the expense of good end-of-life care. Some have advocated strongly, on the basis of autonomy, that physician-assisted suicide should be a legal option at the end of life. As a proponent of patient-centered care, the American College of Physicians (ACP) is attentive to all voices, including those who speak of the desire to control when and how life will end. However, the ACP believes that the ethical arguments against legalizing physician-assisted suicide remain the most compelling. On the basis of substantive ethics, clinical practice, policy, and other concerns articulated in this position paper, the ACP does not support legalization of physician-assisted suicide. It is problematic given the nature of the patient-physician relationship, affects trust in the relationship and in the profession, and fundamentally alters the medical profession's role in society. Furthermore, the principles at stake in this debate also underlie medicine's responsibilities regarding other issues and the physician's duties to provide care based on clinical judgment, evidence, and ethics. Society's focus at the end of life should be on efforts to address suffering and the needs of patients and families, including improving access to effective hospice and palliative care. The ACP remains committed to improving care for patients throughout and at the end of life.

Family physicians' perspectives regarding palliative radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samant, Rajiv S.; Fitzgibbon, Edward; Meng, Joanne; Graham, Ian D.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To assess family physicians' views on common indications for palliative radiotherapy and to determine whether this influences patient referral. Methods and materials: A 30-item questionnaire evaluating radiotherapy knowledge and training developed at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre (ORCC) was mailed to a random sample of 400 family physicians in eastern Ontario, Canada. The completed surveys were collected and analyzed, and form the basis of this study. Results: A total of 172 completed surveys were received for a net response rate of 50% among practicing family physicians. Almost all of the physicians (97%) had recently seen cancer patients in their offices, with 85% regularly caring for patient with advanced cancer. Fifty-four percent had referred patients in the past for radiotherapy and 53% had contacted a radiation oncologist for advice. Physicians who were more knowledgeable about the common indications for palliative radiotherapy were significantly more likely to refer patients for radiotherapy (P<0.01). Inability to contact a radiation oncologist was correlated with not having referred patients for radiotherapy (P<0.01). Only 10% of the physicians had received radiotherapy education during their formal medical training. Conclusions: Many of the family physicians surveyed were unaware of the effectiveness of radiotherapy in a variety of common palliative situations, and radiotherapy referral was correlated with knowledge about the indications for palliative radiotherapy. This was not surprising given the limited education they received in this area and the limited contact they have had with radiation oncologists. Strategies need to be developed to improve continuing medical education opportunities for family physicians and to facilitate more interaction between these physicians and radiation oncologists

Physicians' fees and public medical care programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, R H; Hadley, J

1981-01-01

In this article we develop and estimate a model of physicians' pricing that explicitly incorporates the effects of Medicare and Medicaid demand subsidies. Our analysis is based on a multiperiod model in which physicians are monopolistic competitors supplying services to several markets. The implications of the model are tested using data derived from claims submitted by a cohort of 1,200 California physicians during the years 1972-1975. We conclude that the demand for physician's services is relatively elastic; that increases in the local supply of physicians reduce prices somewhat; that physicians respond strategically to attempts to control prices through the customary-prevailing-reasonable system; and that price controls limit the rate of increase in physicians' prices. The analysis identifies a family of policies that recognize the monopsony power of public programs and may change the cost-access trade-off. PMID:7021479

[Family and career planning in young physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Stamm, Martina; Klaghofer, Richard

2008-01-01

The study investigates in what way physicians integrate their desire to have children into their career planning. Within the framework of a prospective cohort study of Swiss medical school graduates on career development of young physicians, beginning in 2001, 534 participants (285 women, 249 men) were assessed in January 2007, in terms of having children, planning to have children, the career aspired to and the work-family balance used or planned. Among the study participants, 19% (54) of the women and 24% (59) of the men have children. Of the others 88% plan to start a family in the future. Female physicians with children are less advanced in their careers than women without children; for male physicians no such difference can be observed. Of the female physicians with children or the desire for children 42% aspire to work in a practice, 28% to a clinical and only 4% to an academic career. Of the male physicians with children or the desire for children one third aspire to work in a practice, one third to a clinical and 14% to an academic career. The preferred model of work repartition of female physicians with children is father full time/mother part time or both parents part time; the preferred model of male physicians is father full time/mother part time or not working. Children are an important factor in the career and life planning of physicians, female physicians paying more attention to an even work-family balance than male physicians. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Exploring Canadian Physicians' Experiences Providing Medical Assistance in Dying: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshnood, Narges; Hopwood, Marie-Clare; Lokuge, Bhadra; Kurahashi, Allison; Tobin, Anastasia; Isenberg, Sarina; Husain, Amna

2018-05-15

MAiD allows a practitioner to administer or prescribe medication for the purpose of ending a patient's life. In 2016, Canada was the latest country, following several European countries and American states, to legalize physician-assisted death. Although some studies report on physician attitudes towards MAiD or describe patient characteristics, there are few that explore the professional challenges faced by physicians who provide MAiD. To explore the professional challenges faced by Canadian physicians who provide MAiD. Sixteen physicians from across Canada who provide MAiD completed in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews. An inductive thematic analysis approach guided data collection and the iterative, interpretive analysis of interview transcripts. Three members of the research team systematically co-coded interview transcripts and the emerging themes were developed with the broader research team. NVivo was used to manage the coded data. Participants described three challenges associated with providing MAiD: 1) their relationships with other MAiD providers were enhanced and relationships with objecting colleagues were sometimes strained, 2) they received inadequate financial compensation for time, and, 3) they experienced increased workload, resulting in sacrifices to personal time. Although these providers did not intend to stop providing MAiD at the time of the interview, they indicated their concerns about whether they would be able to sustain this service over time. Physicians described relationship, financial, and workload challenges to providing MAiD. We provide several recommendations to address these challenges and help ensure the sustainability of MAiD in countries that provide this service. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Recruiting physicians without inviting trouble.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoch, L J

1989-05-01

Many hospitals use physician recruitment strategies--generally assistance or employment strategies--to ensure medical staff loyalty. Although these strategies appeal to both hospitals and physicians, they are becoming increasingly problematic. Over the past three years, the government has issued pronouncements that question their legality. Thus any hospital considering physician recruitment strategies would be wise to evaluate them in light of various legal issues. such as reimbursement, nonprofit taxation, corporate practice of medicine, and certificate-of-need statutes. The consequences of failing to consider these issues can be ominous. The penalties for violating the proscribed remuneration provision of the Medicare act can include a fine, imprisonment, suspension from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, or loss of license. Payment issues can result in reduced reimbursement levels. Nonprofit taxation issues can trigger the loss of tax exemption. As a result of the corporate practice of medicine, a physician recruitment strategy may not be reimbursable by third-party payers or may even constitute the unauthorized practice of medicine. Finally, in some states, physician recruitment may trigger certificate-of-need review.

How should we train physicians for remote and rural practice? What the present incumbents say.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, P; McHardy, K C

2004-08-01

To obtain the views of the current remote and rural consultant physicians with regards to their opinion on components of an ideal training programme for an aspirant remote and rural physician. A questionnaire was designed to elicit information in three main areas: experience and training prior to appointment, current pattern of service provision and opinions on components of an ideal training programme for remote and rural physicians. Five Scottish rural hospitals in Shetland, Wick, Stornoway, Fort William and Oban. Thirteen consultant physicians based in the five rural hospitals chosen. The response rate to the questionnaire was 85%. All had previous experience in acute general medicine, and most in one of a variety of subspecialties. Each physician had developed interests and skills in other branches of medicine following appointment in order to meet local service needs. Most felt that there was a need for expansion of consultant numbers in the future, 45% citing the European Working Time Directive as the major reason. There was an encouraging degree of commonality between the current consultants as to what they felt should be included in a training programme for remote and rural physicians. There are challenges in meeting training needs for consultant physicians intending to work in a remote setting. Development of broader-based training than offered by most current dual training programmes is essential. Only imaginative approaches to training will produce physicians who are fit for purpose.

22 CFR 62.27 - Alien physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Alien physicians. 62.27 Section 62.27 Foreign... Provisions § 62.27 Alien physicians. (a) Purpose. Pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange... Foreign Medical Graduates must sponsor alien physicians who wish to pursue programs of graduate medical...

Religious and Spiritual Beliefs of Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Kristin A; Cheng, Meng-Ru; Hansen, Patrick D; Gray, Richard J

2017-02-01

The aim of this study is to describe religious and spiritual beliefs of physicians and examine their influence on the decision to pursue medicine and daily medical practice. An anonymous survey was e-mailed to physicians at a large, multidisciplinary tertiary referral center with satellite clinics. Data were collected from January 2014 through February 2014. There were 2097 respondents (69.1 % men), and number of practicing years ranged from ≤1 to ≥30. Primary care physicians or medical specialists represented 74.1 %, 23.6 % were in surgical specialties, and 2.3 % were psychiatrists. The majority of physicians believe in God (65.2 %), and 51.2 % reported themselves as religious, 24.8 % spiritual, 12.4 % agnostic, and 11.6 % atheist. This self-designation was largely independent of specialty except for psychiatrists, who were more likely report agnosticism (P = 0.003). In total, 29.0 % reported that religious or spiritual beliefs influenced their decision to become a physician. Frequent prayer was reported by 44.7 % of physicians, but only 20.7 % reported having prayed with patients. Most physicians consider themselves religious or spiritual, but the rates of agnosticism and atheism are higher than the general population. Psychiatrists are the least religious group. Despite the influence of religion on physicians' lives and medical practice, the majority have not incorporated prayer into patient encounters.

Relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive test performance in National Football League draft picks.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Gary S; Kuhn, Andrew

2014-04-01

There are limited empirical data available regarding the relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive functioning in active National Football League (NFL) players in general and NFL draft picks in particular. Potential NFL draft picks undergo 2 neurocognitive tests at the National Invitational Camp (Scouting Combine) every year: the Wonderlic and, since 2011, the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). After conclusion of the combine and before the draft, NFL teams invite potential draft picks to their headquarters for individual visits where further assessment may occur. To examine the relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive performance (ImPACT and Wonderlic) in a sample of elite NFL draft picks. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Over 7 years, 226 potential draft picks were invited to visit a specific NFL team's headquarters after the combine. The athletes were divided into 3 groups based on self-reported concussion history: no prior concussions, 1 prior concussion, and 2 or more prior concussions. Neurocognitive measures of interest included Wonderlic scores (provided by the NFL team) and ImPACT composite scores (administered either at the combine or during a visit to the team headquarters). The relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive scores was assessed, as were the relationships among the 2 neurocognitive tests. Concussion history had no relationship to neurocognitive performance on either the Wonderlic or ImPACT. Concussion history did not affect performance on either neurocognitive test, suggesting that for this cohort, a history of concussion may not have adverse effects on neurocognitive functioning as measured by these 2 tests. This study reveals no correlation between concussion history and neurocognitive test scores (ImPACT, Wonderlic) in soon-to-be active NFL athletes.

Colorado family physicians' attitudes toward medical marijuana.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondrad, Elin; Reid, Alfred

2013-01-01

Over the last decade, the use of medical marijuana has expanded dramatically; it is now permitted in 16 states and the District of Columbia. Our study of family physicians in Colorado is the first to gather information about physician attitudes toward this evolving practice. We distributed an anonymous web-based electronic survey to the 1727 members of the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians' listserv. Items included individual and practice characteristics as well as experience with and attitudes toward medical marijuana. Five hundred twenty family physicians responded (30% response rate). Of these, 46% did not support physicians recommending medical marijuana; only 19% thought that physicians should recommend it. A minority thought that marijuana conferred significant benefits to physical (27%) and mental (15%) health. Most agreed that marijuana poses serious mental (64%) and physical (61%) health risks. Eighty-one percent agreed that physicians should have formal training before recommending medical marijuana, and 92% agreed that continuing medical education about medical marijuana should be available to family physicians. Despite a high prevalence of use in Colorado, most family physicians are not convinced of marijuana's health benefits and believe its use carries risks. Nearly all agreed on the need for further medical education about medical marijuana.

Opinions of Primary Care Family Physicians About Family Medicine Speciality Training Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamit Sirri Keten

2014-04-01

Material and Method: A total of 170 family physicians working in Kahramanmaras were included in the study. After obtaining informed consent a questionnaire comprising questions regarding socio-demographic properties, conveying contracted family physicians as family medicine specialists and organization of the training program was applied to participants. Results: Among physicians participating in the study 130 (76.5% were male and 40 (23.5% were female, with a mean age of 40.7±7.1 (min = 26 years, max = 64 years. The mean duration of professional experience of physicians was 15.3±7.0 (min = 2 years, max = 40 years years. Of all, 91 (53.5% participants had already read the decree on family medicine specialist training program for contracted family physicians. A hundred and fifteen (67.6% family physicians supported that Family Medicine Specialty program should be taken part-time without interrupting routine medical tasks. Only 51 (30.0% participants stated the requirement of an entrance examination (TUS for family medicine specialty training. Conclusion: Family medicine specialty training program towards family physicians should be considered in the light of scientific criteria. In family medicine, an area exhibited a holistic approach to the patient; specialty training should be through residency training instead of an education program. For this purpose, family medicine departments in medical faculties should play an active role in this process. Additionally further rotations in needed branches should be implemented with a revision of area should be performed. In medicine practical training is of high importance and distant or part-time education is not appropriate, and specialist training shall be planned in accordance with the medical specialty training regulations. [Cukurova Med J 2014; 39(2.000: 298-304

Comparison of the quality of patient referrals from physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohr, Robert H; West, Colin P; Beliveau, Margaret; Daniels, Paul R; Nyman, Mark A; Mundell, William C; Schwenk, Nina M; Mandrekar, Jayawant N; Naessens, James M; Beckman, Thomas J

2013-11-01

To compare the quality of referrals of patients with complex medical problems from nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), and physicians to general internists. We conducted a retrospective comparison study involving regional referrals to an academic medical center from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010. All 160 patients referred by NPs and PAs combined and a random sample of 160 patients referred by physicians were studied. Five experienced physicians blinded to the source of referral used a 7-item instrument to assess the quality of referrals. Internal consistency, interrater reliability, and dimensionality of item scores were determined. Differences between item scores for patients referred by physicians and those for patients referred by NPs and PAs combined were analyzed by using multivariate ordinal logistical regression adjusted for patient age, sex, distance of the referral source from Mayo Clinic, and Charlson Index. Factor analysis revealed a 1-dimensional measure of the quality of patient referrals. Interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient for individual items: range, 0.77-0.93; overall, 0.92) and internal consistency for items combined (Cronbach α=0.75) were excellent. Referrals from physicians were scored higher (percentage of agree/strongly agree responses) than were referrals from NPs and PAs for each of the following items: referral question clearly articulated (86.3% vs 76.0%; P=.0007), clinical information provided (72.6% vs 54.1%; P=.003), documented understanding of the patient's pathophysiology (51.0% vs 30.3%; P<.0001), appropriate evaluation performed locally (60.3% vs 39.0%; P<.0001), appropriate management performed locally (53.5% vs 24.1%; P<.0001), and confidence returning patient to referring health care professional (67.8% vs 41.4%; P<.0001). Referrals from physicians were also less likely to be evaluated as having been unnecessary (30.1% vs 56.2%; P<.0001). The quality of referrals to an

Physicians' professional performance: an occupational health psychology perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheepers, Renée A

2017-12-01

Physician work engagement is considered to benefit physicians' professional performance in clinical teaching practice. Following an occupational health psychology perspective, this PhD report presents research on how physicians' professional performance in both doctor and teacher roles can be facilitated by work engagement and how work engagement is facilitated by job resources and personality traits. First, we conducted a systematic review on the impact of physician work engagement and related constructs (e. g. job satisfaction) on physicians' performance in patient care. We additionally investigated physician work engagement and job resources in relation to patient care experience with physicians' performance at ten outpatient clinics covering two hospitals. In a following multicentre survey involving 61 residency training programs of 18 hospitals, we studied associations between physician work engagement and personality traits with resident evaluations of physicians' teaching performance. The findings showed that physician work engagement was associated with fewer reported medical errors and that job satisfaction was associated with better communication and patient satisfaction. Autonomy and learning opportunities were positively associated with physician work engagement. Work engagement was positively associated with teaching performance. In addition, physician work engagement was most likely supported by personality trait conscientiousness (e. g. responsibility). Given the reported associations of physician work engagement with aspects of their professional performance, hospitals could support physician work engagement in service of optimal performance in residency training and patient care. This could be facilitated by worker health surveillance, peer support or promoting job crafting at the individual or team level.

Rise of Health Consumerism in China and Its Effects on Physicians' Professional Identity and the Physician-Patient Relationship and Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Lu; Guan, Mengfei

2018-05-01

The physician-patient relationship in China is highly strained. This study examined the professional identity of physicians and their perceptions of the physician-patient relationship against the backdrop of the rise of health consumerism in China. Structured interviews with 29 physicians found that the marketization of medical care and the rise of health consumerism caused physicians to have a conflicted professional identity. The traditional bureaucratic relationship between physicians and patients based on implicit trust was gradually replaced by an arm's length relationship characterized by self-interest, opportunism, and mistrust. In addition, the transition from physician-centered communication to patient-centered communication in China was tenacious. Theoretical and practical implications of the current study are discussed.

Clinical decision-making: physicians' preferences and experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

White Martha

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Shared decision-making has been advocated; however there are relatively few studies on physician preferences for, and experiences of, different styles of clinical decision-making as most research has focused on patient preferences and experiences. The objectives of this study were to determine 1 physician preferences for different styles of clinical decision-making; 2 styles of clinical decision-making physicians perceive themselves as practicing; and 3 the congruence between preferred and perceived style. In addition we sought to determine physician perceptions of the availability of time in visits, and their role in encouraging patients to look for health information. Methods Cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. physicians. Results 1,050 (53% response rate physicians responded to the survey. Of these, 780 (75% preferred to share decision-making with their patients, 142 (14% preferred paternalism, and 118 (11% preferred consumerism. 87% of physicians perceived themselves as practicing their preferred style. Physicians who preferred their patients to play an active role in decision-making were more likely to report encouraging patients to look for information, and to report having enough time in visits. Conclusion Physicians tend to perceive themselves as practicing their preferred role in clinical decision-making. The direction of the association cannot be inferred from these data; however, we suggest that interventions aimed at promoting shared decision-making need to target physicians as well as patients.

ICU nurses and physicians dialogue regarding patients clinical status and care options-a focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kvande, Monica; Lykkeslet, Else; Storli, Sissel Lisa

2017-12-01

Nurses and physicians work side-by-side in the intensive care unit (ICU). Effective exchanges of patient information are essential to safe patient care in the ICU. Nurses often rate nurse-physician communication lower than physicians and report that it is difficult to speak up, that disagreements are not resolved and that their input is not well received. Therefore, this study explored nurses' dialogue with physicians regarding patients' clinical status and the prerequisites for effective and accurate exchanges of information. We adopted a qualitative approach, conducting three focus group discussions with five to six nurses and physicians each (14 total). Two themes emerged. The first theme highlighted nurses' contributions to dialogues with physicians; nurses' ongoing observations of patients were essential to patient care discussions. The second theme addressed the prerequisites of accurate and effective dialogue regarding care options, comprising three subthemes: nurses' ability to speak up and present clinical changes, establishment of shared goal and clinical understanding, and open dialogue and willingness to listen to each other. Nurses should understand their essential role in conducting ongoing observations of patients and their right to be included in care-related decision-making processes. Physicians should be willing to listen to and include nurses' clinical observations and concerns.

Clinical trials attitudes and practices of Latino physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Amelie G; Wildes, Kimberly; Talavera, Greg; Nápoles-Springer, Anna; Gallion, Kipling; Pérez-Stable, Eliseo J

2008-07-01

Ethnic differences in physicians' attitudes and behaviors related to clinical trials might partially account for disparities in clinical trial participation among Latino patients. Literature regarding Latino physicians' clinical trials attitudes and practices, in comparison to White physicians, was lacking. Cross-sectional data from randomly selected physicians (N=695), stratified by ethnicity, were analyzed to test associations of ethnicity with physicians' participation in and attitudes toward referral of patients to clinical trials. Chi-square analyses showed significant (pLatino physicians were significantly less involved in clinical trials than White physicians and found less scientific value in them, highlighting areas for future education and intervention.

Breast cancer patients' trust in physicians: the impact of patients' perception of physicians' communication behaviors and hospital organizational climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalski, Christoph; Nitzsche, Anika; Scheibler, Fueloep; Steffen, Petra; Albert, Ute-Susann; Pfaff, Holger

2009-12-01

To examine whether patients' perception of a hospital's organizational climate has an impact on their trust in physicians after accounting for physicians' communication behaviors as perceived by the patients and patient characteristics. Patients undergoing treatment in breast centers in the German state of North Rhein-Westphalia in 2006 were asked to complete a standardized postal questionnaire. Disease characteristics were then added by the medical personnel. Multiple linear regressions were performed. 80.5% of the patients responded to the survey. 37% of the variance in patients' trust in physicians can be explained by the variables included in our final model (N=2226; R(2) adj.=0.372; porganizational climate. The impact of their perception of physicians' communication behaviors persists after introducing hospital organizational characteristics. Perceived physician accessibility shows the strongest association with trust. A trusting physician-patient relationship among breast cancer patients is associated with both the perceived quality of the hospital organizational climate and perceived physicians' communication behaviors. With regard to clinical organization, efforts should be put into improving the organizational climate and making physicians more accessible to patients.

Hope and persuasion by physicians during informed consent.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Victoria A; Cousino, Melissa; Leek, Angela C; Kodish, Eric D

2014-10-10

To describe hopeful and persuasive messages communicated by physicians during informed consent for phase I trials and examine whether such communication is associated with physician and parent ratings of the likelihood of benefit, physician and parent ratings of the strength of the physician's recommendation to enroll, parent ratings of control, and parent ratings of perceived pressure. Participants were children with cancer (n = 85) who were offered a phase I trial along with their parents and physicians. Informed consent conferences (ICCs) were audiotaped and coded for physician communication of hope and persuasion. Parents completed an interview (n = 60), and physicians completed a case-specific questionnaire. The most frequent hopeful statements related to expectations of positive outcomes and provision of options. Physicians failed to mention no treatment and/or palliative care as options in 68% of ICCs and that the disease was incurable in 85% of ICCs. When physicians mentioned no treatment and/or palliative care as options, both physicians and parents rated the physician's strength of recommendation to enroll in the trial lower. Hopes and goals other than cure or longer life were infrequently mentioned, and a minority of physicians communicated that the disease was incurable and that no treatment and/or palliative care were options. These findings are of concern, given the low likelihood of medical benefit from phase I trials. Physicians have an important role to play in helping families develop alternative goals when no curative options remain. © 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Emergency medicine resident physicians' perceptions of electronic documentation and workflow: a mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Neri, P M; Redden, L; Poole, S; Pozner, C N; Horsky, J; Raja, A S; Poon, E; Schiff, G; Landman, A

2015-01-01

To understand emergency department (ED) physicians' use of electronic documentation in order to identify usability and workflow considerations for the design of future ED information system (EDIS) physician documentation modules. We invited emergency medicine resident physicians to participate in a mixed methods study using task analysis and qualitative interviews. Participants completed a simulated, standardized patient encounter in a medical simulation center while documenting in the test environment of a currently used EDIS. We recorded the time on task, type and sequence of tasks performed by the participants (including tasks performed in parallel). We then conducted semi-structured interviews with each participant. We analyzed these qualitative data using the constant comparative method to generate themes. Eight resident physicians participated. The simulation session averaged 17 minutes and participants spent 11 minutes on average on tasks that included electronic documentation. Participants performed tasks in parallel, such as history taking and electronic documentation. Five of the 8 participants performed a similar workflow sequence during the first part of the session while the remaining three used different workflows. Three themes characterize electronic documentation: (1) physicians report that location and timing of documentation varies based on patient acuity and workload, (2) physicians report a need for features that support improved efficiency; and (3) physicians like viewing available patient data but struggle with integration of the EDIS with other information sources. We confirmed that physicians spend much of their time on documentation (65%) during an ED patient visit. Further, we found that resident physicians did not all use the same workflow and approach even when presented with an identical standardized patient scenario. Future EHR design should consider these varied workflows while trying to optimize efficiency, such as improving

The CRASH report: emergency management dilemmas facing acute physicians in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Laura C; Dimopoulos, Konstantinos; Marino, Philip; Alonso-Gonzalez, Rafael; McCabe, Colm; Kemnpy, Aleksander; Swan, Lorna; Boutsikou, Maria; Al Zahrani, Ahmed; Coghlan, Gerry J; Schreiber, Benjamin E; Howard, Luke S; Davies, Rachel; Toshner, Mark; Pepke-Zaba, Joanna; Church, Alistair C; Peacock, Andrew; Corris, Paul A; Lordan, James L; Gaine, Sean; Condliffe, Robin; Kiely, David G; Wort, Stephen John

2017-11-01

Treatment of acute emergencies in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can be challenging. In the UK and Ireland, management of adult patients with PAH is centred in eight nationally designated pulmonary hypertension (PH) centres. However, many patients live far from these centres and physicians in local hospitals are often required to manage PAH emergencies. A committee of physicians from nationally designated PH centres identified the 'most common' emergency clinical scenarios encountered in patients with PAH. Thereafter, a review of the literature was performed centred on these specified topics and a management approach was developed based on best available evidence and expert consensus. Management protocols were developed on the following PAH emergencies: chest pain (including myocardial ischaemia), right ventricular failure, arrhythmias, sepsis, haemoptysis ('CRASH'), as well as considerations relevant to surgery, anaesthesia and pregnancy. Emergencies are not uncommon in PAH. While expertise in PAH management is essential, all physicians involved in acute care should be aware of the principles of acute management of PAH emergencies. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary, with physicians from tertiary PH centres supporting care locally and planning safe transfer of patients to PH centres when appropriate. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Stereotyping of medical disability claimants' communication behaviour by physicians: towards more focused education for social insurance physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

van Rijssen, H J; Schellart, A J M; Berkhof, M; Anema, J R; van der Beek, Aj

2010-11-03

Physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews (social insurance physicians) are probably influenced by stereotypes of claimants, especially because they have limited time available and they have to make complicated decisions. Because little is known about the influences of stereotyping on assessment interviews, the objectives of this paper were to qualitatively investigate: (1) the content of stereotypes used to classify claimants with regard to the way in which they communicate; (2) the origins of such stereotypes; (3) the advantages and disadvantages of stereotyping in assessment interviews; and (4) how social insurance physicians minimise the undesirable influences of negative stereotyping. Data were collected during three focus group meetings with social insurance physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews with sick-listed employees (i.e. claimants). The participants also completed a questionnaire about demographic characteristics. The data were qualitatively analysed in Atlas.ti in four steps, according to the grounded theory and the principle of constant comparison. A total of 22 social insurance physicians participated. Based on their responses, a claimant's communication was classified with regard to the degree of respect and acceptance in the physician-claimant relationship, and the degree of dominance. Most of the social insurance physicians reported that they classify claimants in general groups, and use these classifications to adapt their own communication behaviour. Moreover, the social insurance physicians revealed that their stereotypes originate from information in the claimants' files and first impressions. The main advantages of stereotyping were that this provides a framework for the assessment interview, it can save time, and it is interesting to check whether the stereotype is correct. Disadvantages of stereotyping were that the stereotypes often prove incorrect, they do not give the complete picture, and the

From the doctor's workshop to the iron cage? Evolving modes of physician control in US health systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitchener, Martin; Caronna, Carol A; Shortell, Stephen M

2005-03-01

As national health systems pursue the common goals of containing expenditure growth and improving quality, many have sought to replace autonomous modes (systems) of physician control that rely on initial professional training and subsequent peer review. A common approach has involved extending bureaucratic modes of physician control that employ techniques such as hierarchical coordination and salaried positions. This paper applies concepts from studies of professional work to frame an empirical analysis of emergent bureaucratic modes of physician control in US hospital-based systems. Conceptually, we draw from recent studies to update Scott's (Health Services Res. 17(3) (1982) 213) typology to specify three bureaucratic modes of physician control: heteronomous, conjoint, and custodial. Empirically, we use case study evidence from eight US hospital-based systems to illustrate the heterogeneity of bureaucratic modes of physician control that span each of the ideal types. The findings indicate that some influential analysts perpetuate a caricature of bureaucratic organization which underplays its capacity to provide multiple modes of physician control that maintain professional autonomy over the content of work, and present opportunities for aligning practice with social goals.

The ratio of nurse consultation and physician efficiency index of senior rheumatologists is significantly higher than junior physicians in rheumatology residency training

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Emamifar, Amir; van Bui Hansen, Morten Hai; Jensen Hansen, Inger Marie

2017-01-01

To elucidate the difference between ratios of nurse consultation sought by senior rheumatologists and junior physicians in rheumatology residency training, and also to evaluate physician efficiency index respecting patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data regarding outpatient visits for RA...... patients between November 2013 and 2015 were extracted. The mean interval (day) between consultations, the nurse/physician visits ratio, and physician efficiency index (nurse/physician visits ratio × mean interval) for each senior and junior physicians were calculated. Disease Activity Score in 28 joints....../physician visits ratio (P = .01) and mean efficiency index (P = .04) of senior rheumatologists were significantly higher than that of junior physicians. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between physician postgraduate experience and physician efficiency index adjusted for DAS28 at baseline...

Effects of various methodologic strategies: survey response rates among Canadian physicians and physicians-in-training.

Science.gov (United States)

Grava-Gubins, Inese; Scott, Sarah

2008-10-01

To increase the overall 2007 response rate of the National Physician Survey (NPS) from the survey's 2004 rate of response with the implementation of various methodologic strategies. Physicians were stratified to receive either a long version (12 pages) or a short version (6 pages) of the survey (38% and 62%, respectively). Mixed modes of contact were used-58% were contacted by e-mail and 42% by regular mail-with multiple modes of contact attempted for nonrespondents. The self-administered, confidential surveys were distributed in either English or French. Medical residents and students received e-mail surveys only and were offered a substantial monetary lottery incentive for completing their surveys. A professional communications firm assisted in marketing the survey and delivered advance notification of its impending distribution. Canada. A total of 62 441 practising physicians, 2627 second-year medical residents, and 9162 medical students in Canada. Of the practising physicians group, 60 811 participants were eligible and 19 239 replied, for an overall 2007 study response rate of 31.64% (compared with 35.85% in 2004). No difference in rate of response was found between the longer and shorter versions of the survey. If contacted by regular mail, the response rate was 34.1%; the e-mail group had a response rate of 29.9%. Medical student and resident response rates were 30.8% and 27.9%, respectively (compared with 31.2% and 35.6% in 2004). Despite shortening the questionnaires, contacting more physicians by e-mail, and enhancing marketing and follow-up, the 2007 NPS response rate for practising physicians did not surpass the 2004 NPS response rate. Offering a monetary lottery incentive to medical residents and students was also unsuccessful in increasing their response rates. The role of surveys in gathering information from physicians and physicians-in-training remains problematic. Researchers need to investigate alternative strategies for achieving higher rates of

Shoulder instability in professional football players.

Science.gov (United States)

Leclere, Lance E; Asnis, Peter D; Griffith, Matthew H; Granito, David; Berkson, Eric M; Gill, Thomas J

2013-09-01

Shoulder instability is a common problem in American football players entering the National Football League (NFL). Treatment options include nonoperative and surgical stabilization. This study evaluated how the method of treatment of pre-NFL shoulder instability affects the rate of recurrence and the time elapsed until recurrence in players on 1 NFL team. Retrospective cohort. Medical records from 1980 to 2008 for 1 NFL team were reviewed. There were 328 players included in the study who started their career on the team and remained on the team for at least 2 years (mean, 3.9 years; range, 2-14 years). The history of instability prior to entering the NFL and the method of treatment were collected. Data on the occurrence of instability while in the NFL were recorded to determine the rate and timing of recurrence. Thirty-one players (9.5%) had a history of instability prior to entering the NFL. Of the 297 players with no history of instability, 39 (13.1%) had a primary event at a mean of 18.4 ± 22.2 months (range, 0-102 months) after joining the team. In the group of players with prior instability treated with surgical stabilization, there was no statistical difference in the rate of recurrence (10.5%) or the timing to the instability episode (mean, 26 months) compared with players with no history of instability. Twelve players had shoulder instability treated nonoperatively prior to the NFL. Five of these players (41.7%) had recurrent instability at a mean of 4.4 ± 7.0 months (range, 0-16 months). The patients treated nonoperatively had a significantly higher rate of recurrence (P = 0.02) and an earlier time of recurrence (P = 0.04). The rate of contralateral instability was 25.8%, occurring at a mean of 8.6 months. Recurrent shoulder instability is more common in NFL players with a history of nonoperative treatment. Surgical stabilization appears to restore the rate and timing of instability to that of players with no prior history of instability.

Place-based taste

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Evans, Joshua David; Flore, Roberto; Pedersen, Jonas Astrup

2015-01-01

Nordic Food Lab (NFL) is a non-profit, open-source organisation that investigates food diversity and deliciousness. We combine scientific and cultural approaches with culinary techniques from around the world to explore the edible potential of the Nordic region. We are intent on broadening our...

Physician attitudes toward advanced directives: a literature review of variables impacting on physicians attitude toward advance directives.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Albert M E

2013-11-01

To review physician's attitudes as well as the variables that may impact on physicians' attitude toward advance directives (ADs). Literature review of 17 published articles, covering the period 1989 to 2011. Physicians overall have a positive attitude toward patients' AD. However, other factors affect this "general positive attitude." These factors influence the attitude-behavior relationship of physicians, and hence their actual practice in relation to patients' AD. The findings from this review are of importance in explaining the differences in the attitude of physicians toward AD and their compliance. This raises the issue of consideration of other ethical paradigms/theories in the clinical context other than the framework of "principlism-"based autonomy, on which AD leans on. This is important in light of the pluralism of ethical theories.

National questionnaire study on clinical ICT systems proofs: physicians suffer from poor usability.

Science.gov (United States)

Viitanen, Johanna; Hyppönen, Hannele; Lääveri, Tinja; Vänskä, Jukka; Reponen, Jarmo; Winblad, Ilkka

2011-10-01

In the health informatics field, usability studies typically focus on evaluating a single information system and involve a rather small group of end-users. However, little is known about the usability of clinical information and communication technology (ICT) environment in which healthcare professionals work daily. This paper aims at contributing to usability research and user-oriented development of healthcare technologies with three objectives: inform researchers and practitioners about the current state of usability of clinical ICT systems, increase the understanding of usability aspects specific for clinical context, and encourage a more holistic approach on studying usability issues in health informatics field. A national web questionnaire study was conducted in Finland in spring 2010 with 3929 physicians actively working in patient care. For the purposes of the study, we described three dimensions of clinical ICT system usability that reflect the physicians' viewpoint on system usage: (1) compatibility between clinical ICT systems and physicians' tasks, (2) ICT support for information exchange, communication and collaboration in clinical work, and (3) interoperability and reliability. The dimensions derive from the definitions of usability and clinical context of use analysis, and reflect the ability of ICT systems to have a positive impact on patient care by supporting physicians in achieving their goals with a pleasant user experience. The research data incorporated 32 statements with a five-point Likert-scale on physicians' experiences on usability of their currently used ICT systems and a summative question about school grade given to electronic health record (EHR) systems. Physicians' estimates of their EHR systems were very critical. With the rating scale from 4 or fail to 10 or excellent, the average of the grades varied from 6.1 to 8.4 dependent on the kind of facility the physician is working. Questionnaire results indicated several usability

The physician executive in a changing world.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, L R

1999-01-01

Physicians are losing their historic franchise as sole and primary providers of medical care. In addition to eroding moral and scientific authority, physicians are also losing income and status. It is no wonder that physicians are retrenching--confused and angry about the increasing marginalization of their profession and about society's changing expectations. Physicians are caught in a transition zone between the world that was and the one that will soon be. This is destabilizing and causes great anxiety. Rather than being buffeted by changing social and cultural definitions of health care, physicians must become proactively involved in the future of their profession. Physicians can only do this by offering a better mental model of health, medicine, and the community. This cannot be a defensive retreat from engagement. Rather, it must be an imaginative vision, vigorously set forth--a vision that will enlist the support of all constituencies involved in the effort to improve the health and well-being of all members of our society. The physician executive needs to work with physicians to orchestrate this effort to create a new vision of health in the 21st century.

The Growing Demand for Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physicians: Will the Supply Keep Up?

Science.gov (United States)

Lupu, Dale; Quigley, Leo; Mehfoud, Nicholas; Salsberg, Edward S

2018-04-01

The need for hospice and palliative care is growing rapidly as the population increases and ages and as both hospice and palliative care become more accepted. Hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) is a relatively new physician specialty, currently training 325 new fellows annually. Given the time needed to increase the supply of specialty-trained physicians, it is important to assess future needs to guide planning for future training capacity. We modeled the need for and supply of specialist HPM physicians through the year 2040 to determine whether training capacity should continue growing. To create a benchmark for need, we used a population-based approach to look at the current geographic distribution of the HPM physician supply. To model future supply, we calculated the annual change in current supply by adding newly trained physicians and subtracting physicians leaving the labor force. The current U.S. supply of HPM specialists is 13.35 per 100,000 adults 65 and older. This ratio varies greatly across the country. Using alternate assumptions for future supply and demand, we project that need in 2040 will range from 10,640 to almost 24,000 HPM specialist physicians. Supply will range from 8100 to 19,000. Current training capacity is insufficient to keep up with population growth and demand for services. HPM fellowships would need to grow from the current 325 graduates annually to between 500 and 600 per year by 2030 to assure sufficient physician workforce for hospice and palliative care services given current service provision patterns. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-physician-assisted suicide in The Netherlands: a cross-sectional survey among the general public.

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Schoonman, Merel Kristi; van Thiel, Ghislaine José Madeleine Wilhelmien; van Delden, Johannes Jozef Marten

2014-12-01

In The Netherlands, approximately 45% of patients' requests for euthanasia are granted by a physician. After a rejected request, some patients approach non-physicians and ask them for assistance in suicide. Recently, a non-physician who assisted his mother's suicide was declared guilty without punishment. The aim of the current study was to investigate the opinion of the Dutch general public on non-physician-assisted suicide. A cross-sectional survey among the Dutch general public was performed. A total of 1113 respondents were included (response rate 80%). The survey covered two case descriptions in which a patient asks a non-physician for assisted suicide after a non-granted request for physician-assisted dying. In both cases, a son, friend or professional facilitates the suicide by either the provision of information or the purchase of lethal medication. Respondents were invited to give their opinion on these cases and in addition on 10 propositions on non-physician-assisted suicide. When a son provides information on how to acquire lethal medication in case of a patient with a terminal illness, this involvement is accepted by 62% of the respondents. The actual purchase of lethal medication receives less support (38%). If the patient suffers without a serious disease, both forms of assistance are less accepted (46% and 24%, respectively). In addition, only 21% support the legalisation of non-physician-assisted suicide. The Dutch public prefer involvement of a physician in assisted suicide (69%). The Dutch general public consider non-physician-assisted suicide in some specific cases a tolerable alternative for patients with a rejected request for physician-assisted dying if the assistance is limited to the provision of information. However, the majority do not support the legalisation of non-physician-assisted suicide. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Which Physicians' Behaviors on Death Pronouncement Affect Family-Perceived Physician Compassion? A Randomized, Scripted, Video-Vignette Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Masanori; Fujimori, Maiko; Hamano, Jun; Naito, Akemi S; Morita, Tatsuya

2018-02-01

Although the death of a loved one is a devastating family event, little is known about which behaviors positively affect families' perceptions on death pronouncements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a compassionate death pronouncement on participant-perceived physician compassion, trust in physicians, and emotions. In this randomized, video-vignette study, 92 people (≥50 years) in Tokyo metropolitan area viewed two videos of death pronouncements by an on-call physician with or without compassion-enhanced behaviors, including five components: waiting until the families calm themselves down, explaining that the physician has received a sign-out about information of the patient's condition, performing examination respectfully, ascertaining the time of death with a wristwatch (vs. smartphone), and reassuring the families that the patient did not experience pain. Main outcomes were physician compassion score, trust in physician, and emotions. After viewing the video with compassion-enhanced behaviors compared with the video without them, participants assigned significantly lower compassion scores (reflecting higher physician compassion) (mean 26.2 vs. 36.4, F = 33.1, P vs. 3.00, F = 39.7, P vs. 3.78, F = 18.0, P sadness (3.42 vs. 3.85, F = 11.8, P = 0.001), fear (1.93 vs. 2.55, F = 15.8, P vs. 3.71, F = 19.4, P < 0.001). To convey compassion on death pronouncement, we recommend that physicians initiate prompt examination, explain that the physician has received a sign-out, perform examination respectfully, ascertain the time of death with a wristwatch, and reassure the families that the patient did not experience pain. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health practices of Canadian physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Erica; Segura, Carolina

2009-08-01

To study the health and health practices of Canadian physicians, which can often influence patient health. Mailed survey. Canada. A random sample of 8100 Canadian physicians; 7934 were found to be eligible and 3213 responded (40.5% response rate). Factors that influence health, such as consumption of fruits and vegetables, amount of exercise and alcohol consumption, smoking status, body mass idex, and participation in preventive health screening measures, as well as work-life balance and emotional stability. Canadian physicians are healthy. More than 90% reported being in good to excellent health, and only 5% reported that poor physical or mental health made it difficult to handle their workload more than half the time in the previous month (although a quarter had reduced work activity because of long-term health conditions). Eight percent were obese, 3% currently smoked cigarettes, and 1% typically consumed 5 drinks or more on days when they drank alcohol. Physicians averaged 4.7 hours of exercise per week and ate fruits and vegetables 4.8 times a day. Their personal screening practices were largely compliant with Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommendations. They averaged 38 hours per week on patient care and 11 hours on other professional activities. Fifty-seven percent agreed that they had a good work-life balance, and 11% disagreed with the statement "If I can, I work when I am ill." Compared with self-reports from the general Canadian population, Canadian physicians, like American physicians, seem to be healthy and to have generally healthy behaviour. There is, however, room for improvement in physicians' personal and professional well-being, and improving their personal health practices could be an efficient and beneficent way to improve the health of all Canadians.

Evaluation of Physicians' Cognitive Styles.

Science.gov (United States)

Djulbegovic, Benjamin; Beckstead, Jason W; Elqayam, Shira; Reljic, Tea; Hozo, Iztok; Kumar, Ambuj; Cannon-Bowers, Janis; Taylor, Stephanie; Tsalatsanis, Athanasios; Turner, Brandon; Paidas, Charles

2014-07-01

Patient outcomes critically depend on accuracy of physicians' judgment, yet little is known about individual differences in cognitive styles that underlie physicians' judgments. The objective of this study was to assess physicians' individual differences in cognitive styles relative to age, experience, and degree and type of training. Physicians at different levels of training and career completed a web-based survey of 6 scales measuring individual differences in cognitive styles (maximizing v. satisficing, analytical v. intuitive reasoning, need for cognition, intolerance toward ambiguity, objectivism, and cognitive reflection). We measured psychometric properties (Cronbach's α) of scales; relationship of age, experience, degree, and type of training; responses to scales; and accuracy on conditional inference task. The study included 165 trainees and 56 attending physicians (median age 31 years; range 25-69 years). All 6 constructs showed acceptable psychometric properties. Surprisingly, we found significant negative correlation between age and satisficing (r = -0.239; P = 0.017). Maximizing (willingness to engage in alternative search strategy) also decreased with age (r = -0.220; P = 0.047). Number of incorrect inferences negatively correlated with satisficing (r = -0.246; P = 0.014). Disposition to suppress intuitive responses was associated with correct responses on 3 of 4 inferential tasks. Trainees showed a tendency to engage in analytical thinking (r = 0.265; P = 0.025), while attendings displayed inclination toward intuitive-experiential thinking (r = 0.427; P = 0.046). However, trainees performed worse on conditional inference task. Physicians capable of suppressing an immediate intuitive response to questions and those scoring higher on rational thinking made fewer inferential mistakes. We found a negative correlation between age and maximizing: Physicians who were more advanced in their careers were less willing to spend time and effort in an

Physician Networks and Ambulatory Care-sensitive Admissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Casalino, Lawrence P; Pesko, Michael F; Ryan, Andrew M; Nyweide, David J; Iwashyna, Theodore J; Sun, Xuming; Mendelsohn, Jayme; Moody, James

2015-06-01

Research on the quality and cost of care traditionally focuses on individual physicians or medical groups. Social network theory suggests that the care a patient receives also depends on the network of physicians with whom a patient's physician is connected. The objectives of the study are: (1) identify physician networks; (2) determine whether the rate of ambulatory care-sensitive hospital admissions (ACSAs) varies across networks--even different networks at the same hospital; and (3) determine the relationship between ACSA rates and network characteristics. We identified networks by applying network detection algorithms to Medicare 2008 claims for 987,000 beneficiaries in 5 states. We estimated a fixed-effects model to determine the relationship between networks and ACSAs and a multivariable model to determine the relationship between network characteristics and ACSAs. We identified 417 networks. Mean size: 129 physicians; range, 26-963. In the fixed-effects model, ACSA rates varied significantly across networks: there was a 46% difference in rates between networks at the 25th and 75th performance percentiles. At 95% of hospitals with admissions from 2 networks, the networks had significantly different ACSA rates; the mean difference was 36% of the mean ACSA rate. Networks with a higher percentage of primary-care physicians and networks in which patients received care from a larger number of physicians had higher ACSA rates. Physician networks have a relationship with ACSAs that is independent of the physicians in the network. Physician networks could be an important focus for understanding variations in medical care and for intervening to improve care.

Professional activity. How is family physicians' work time changing?

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, C A; Ferrier, B; Cohen, M; Brown, J

2001-07-01

To examine hours worked professionally, work preferences, and changes in both of these and their correlates. Repeated surveys done in 1993 and 1999. Ontario family practices. Cohort of physicians certified in family medicine between 1989 and 1991 after family medicine residency who were surveyed in 1993 when they resided in Ontario. Self-reported hours spent weekly on professional activities, desired hours of professional work, and balance between work and other activities. Fifty-three percent (293) of 553 physicians responded to the 1999 survey; 91% had remained family physicians; 85% of these had participated in the 1993 survey. The difference between the hours that family physicians preferred to work professionally and their actual hours of work had increased since 1993. Childless physicians, women physicians with preschool children, and women physicians married to other physicians worked fewer hours professionally than other physicians in 1999. Female physicians and physicians without children worked closer to their preferred hours than other physicians. Reporting a preference to work fewer hours professionally in 1993 was linked with a reduction in professional activities by 1999. Greater attention should be paid in physician resource planning to the family life cycle of female physicians. Lifestyle changes could lead to a reduction in professional activity among these physicians.

Physicians' group seeks nuclear arms ban.

Science.gov (United States)

Litwin, M S

1985-08-02

The history and recent activities of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) are reported. Founded in 1980 by cardiologists Bernard Lown of the United States and Eugene Chazov of the Soviet Union, the group has attracted well over 100,000 members from 51 countries. Following the organization's fifth congress in Budapest in June 1985, a four-city tour of the United States by three American and four Soviet physicians was co-sponsored by IPPNW, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Soviet Committee of Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Through separate lecture series aimed at physicians and laypersons, the doctors sought to persuade colleagues to take an active stand against nuclear war, and to increase public awareness of the medical realities of a nuclear attack. A similar tour of the Soviet Union is planned.

[Hippocrates' treatise physician].

Science.gov (United States)

Frøland, Anders

2005-01-01

This small treatise does not appear to have been published in Danish in its entirety. It gives a vivid picture of the physician in ancient Greece. The well known first chapter describes the attitudes and attributes of the doctor. It goes on discussing in some detail how the light should be in the surgery, the instruments to be used, the preparations of bandages and drugs, and the use of cupping instruments. The author stresses both the needs of the patient and the necessity of the physician's dignity and integrity.

Influence of gastrointestinal events on treatment of osteoporosis in Asia-Pacific women: Perspectives from physicians in the MUSIC OS-AP study.

Science.gov (United States)

Modi, A; Ebeling, P R; Lee, M S; Min, Y K; Mithal, A; Yang, X; Baidya, S; Sen, S; Sajjan, S

2017-12-01

The objectives of the physician survey component of the MUSIC OS-AP study were to describe physicians' approaches to treatment of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and to understand the influence of gastrointestinal (GI) events on treatment in clinical practice. Physicians were recruited from 5 Asia-Pacific countries. Questionnaires collected information about physicians' standard practices for treatment of patients with osteoporosis, as well as their perspectives on the influence of GI events on osteoporosis treatment approaches. A total of 59 physicians participated in the study. The most frequently prescribed or recommended treatments were vitamin D (84% of patients), calcium (82%), and oral bisphosphonates (59%). When choosing a medication for treatment-naïve patients, GI sensitivity was often or always a factor for 79% of physicians. Among physicians not prescribing pharmacologic treatment, a mean of 18% of non-prescriptions were due to GI sensitivity. For patients with pre-existing GI conditions, physicians most frequently ranked use of non-oral osteoporosis medication as the first treatment strategy (47%), followed by co-prescription with a proton pump inhibitor or other gastro-protective agent (31%). For patients developing GI symptoms after starting pharmacologic treatment, the most frequently first-ranked management strategy was to check if patients were taking their osteoporosis medication correctly as prescribed (64%), followed by temporary discontinuation of the medication (i.e., a drug holiday) until GI events have resolved (31%) and co-prescription with a proton pump inhibitor or other gastroprotective agent (24%). These results suggest that GI events influence the prescribing practices of physicians in the Asia-Pacific region and sometimes result in non-treatment of women with osteoporosis.

Brain injury-associated biomarkers of TGF-beta1, S100B, GFAP, NF-L, tTG, AbetaPP, and tau were concomitantly enhanced and the UPS was impaired during acute brain injury caused by Toxocara canis in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji Dar-Der

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Because the outcomes and sequelae after different types of brain injury (BI are variable and difficult to predict, investigations on whether enhanced expressions of BI-associated biomarkers (BIABs, including transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1, S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, neurofilament light chain (NF-L, tissue transglutaminases (tTGs, β-amyloid precursor proteins (AβPP, and tau are present as well as whether impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS is present have been widely used to help delineate pathophysiological mechanisms in various BIs. Larvae of Toxocara canis can invade the brain and cause BI in humans and mice, leading to cerebral toxocariasis (CT. Because the parasitic burden is light in CT, it may be too cryptic to be detected in humans, making it difficult to clearly understand the pathogenesis of subtle BI in CT. Since the pathogenesis of murine toxocariasis is very similar to that in humans, it appears appropriate to use a murine model to investigate the pathogenesis of CT. Methods BIAB expressions and UPS function in the brains of mice inoculated with a single dose of 250 T. canis embryonated eggs was investigated from 3 days (dpi to 8 weeks post-infection (wpi by Western blotting and RT-PCR. Results Results revealed that at 4 and 8 wpi, T. canis larvae were found to have invaded areas around the choroid plexus but without eliciting leukocyte infiltration in brains of infected mice; nevertheless, astrogliosis, an indicator of BI, with 78.9~142.0-fold increases in GFAP expression was present. Meanwhile, markedly increased levels of other BIAB proteins including TGF-β1, S100B, NF-L, tTG, AβPP, and tau, with increases ranging 2.0~12.0-fold were found, although their corresponding mRNA expressions were not found to be present at 8 wpi. Concomitantly, UPS impairment was evidenced by the overexpression of conjugated ubiquitin and ubiquitin in the brain. Conclusion Further studies

Brain injury-associated biomarkers of TGF-beta1, S100B, GFAP, NF-L, tTG, AbetaPP, and tau were concomitantly enhanced and the UPS was impaired during acute brain injury caused by Toxocara canis in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Chien-Wei; Fan, Chia-Kwung; Kao, Ting-Chang; Ji, Dar-Der; Su, Kua-Eyre; Lin, Yun-Ho; Cho, Wen-Long

2008-06-24

Because the outcomes and sequelae after different types of brain injury (BI) are variable and difficult to predict, investigations on whether enhanced expressions of BI-associated biomarkers (BIABs), including transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light chain (NF-L), tissue transglutaminases (tTGs), beta-amyloid precursor proteins (AbetaPP), and tau are present as well as whether impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is present have been widely used to help delineate pathophysiological mechanisms in various BIs. Larvae of Toxocara canis can invade the brain and cause BI in humans and mice, leading to cerebral toxocariasis (CT). Because the parasitic burden is light in CT, it may be too cryptic to be detected in humans, making it difficult to clearly understand the pathogenesis of subtle BI in CT. Since the pathogenesis of murine toxocariasis is very similar to that in humans, it appears appropriate to use a murine model to investigate the pathogenesis of CT. BIAB expressions and UPS function in the brains of mice inoculated with a single dose of 250 T. canis embryonated eggs was investigated from 3 days (dpi) to 8 weeks post-infection (wpi) by Western blotting and RT-PCR. Results revealed that at 4 and 8 wpi, T. canis larvae were found to have invaded areas around the choroid plexus but without eliciting leukocyte infiltration in brains of infected mice; nevertheless, astrogliosis, an indicator of BI, with 78.9~142.0-fold increases in GFAP expression was present. Meanwhile, markedly increased levels of other BIAB proteins including TGF-beta1, S100B, NF-L, tTG, AbetaPP, and tau, with increases ranging 2.0~12.0-fold were found, although their corresponding mRNA expressions were not found to be present at 8 wpi. Concomitantly, UPS impairment was evidenced by the overexpression of conjugated ubiquitin and ubiquitin in the brain. Further studies are needed to determine whether there is an

Physicians' attitudes about interprofessional treatment of chronic pain: family physicians are considered the most important collaborators.

Science.gov (United States)

Klinar, Ivana; Ferhatovic, Lejla; Banozic, Adriana; Raguz, Marija; Kostic, Sandra; Sapunar, Damir; Puljak, Livia

2013-06-01

Interprofessional collaboration is the process in which different professional groups work together to positively impact health care. We aimed to explore physicians' attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration in the context of chronic pain management with the implication that if attitudes are not positive, appropriate interventions could be developed. A quantitative attitudes study. The ethical committee approved the study. A web-based survey about interprofessional treatment of chronic pain was administered to physicians. Outcome measures were as follows: physicians' demographic and workplace information, previous experience of working within an interprofessional team, and attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration in chronic pain management. There were 90 physicians who responded to the survey. Physicians had positive attitudes towards team work in the context of chronic pain, but they were undecided about sharing their role within an interprofessional team. The family physician was singled out as the most important as well as the most common collaborator in chronic pain treatment. Interprofessional educational seminars and workshops were suggested as methods for improving interprofessional collaboration. Interprofessional collaboration may be enhanced with continuing medical education that will bring together different healthcare professionals, enable them to exchange experiences and learn about their potential roles within a team. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Executive Leadership and Physician Well-being: Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanafelt, Tait D; Noseworthy, John H

2017-01-01

These are challenging times for health care executives. The health care field is experiencing unprecedented changes that threaten the survival of many health care organizations. To successfully navigate these challenges, health care executives need committed and productive physicians working in collaboration with organization leaders. Unfortunately, national studies suggest that at least 50% of US physicians are experiencing professional burnout, indicating that most executives face this challenge with a disillusioned physician workforce. Burnout is a syndrome characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness. Physician burnout has been shown to influence quality of care, patient safety, physician turnover, and patient satisfaction. Although burnout is a system issue, most institutions operate under the erroneous framework that burnout and professional satisfaction are solely the responsibility of the individual physician. Engagement is the positive antithesis of burnout and is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption in work. There is a strong business case for organizations to invest in efforts to reduce physician burnout and promote engagement. Herein, we summarize 9 organizational strategies to promote physician engagement and describe how we have operationalized some of these approaches at Mayo Clinic. Our experience demonstrates that deliberate, sustained, and comprehensive efforts by the organization to reduce burnout and promote engagement can make a difference. Many effective interventions are relatively inexpensive, and small investments can have a large impact. Leadership and sustained attention from the highest level of the organization are the keys to making progress. Copyright © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family physicians' attitude and practice of infertility management at primary care--Suez Canal University, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldein, Hebatallah Nour

2013-01-01

The very particular natures of infertility problem and infertility care make them different from other medical problems and services in developing countries. Even after the referral to specialists, the family physicians are expected to provide continuous support for these couples. This place the primary care service at the heart of all issues related to infertility. to improve family physicians' attitude and practice about the approach to infertility management within primary care setting. This study was conducted in the between June and December 2010. The study sample comprised 100 family physician trainees in the family medicine department and working in family practice centers or primary care units. They were asked to fill a questionnaire about their personal characteristics, attitude, and practice towards support, investigations, and treatment of infertile couples. Hundred family physicians were included in the study. They were previously received training in infertility management. Favorable attitude scores were detected among (68%) of physicians and primary care was considered a suitable place for infertility management among (77%) of participants. There was statistically significant difference regarding each of age groups, gender and years of experience with the physicians' attitude. There was statistically significant difference regarding gender, perceiving PHC as an appropriate place to manage infertility and attitude towards processes of infertility management with the physicians' practice. Favorable attitude and practice were determined among the study sample. Supporting the structure of primary care and evidence-based training regarding infertility management are required to improve family physicians' attitude and practice towards infertility management.

Do family physicians, emergency department physicians, and pediatricians give consistent sport-related concussion management advice?

Science.gov (United States)

Stoller, Jacqueline; Carson, James D; Garel, Alisha; Libfeld, Paula; Snow, Catherine L; Law, Marcus; Frémont, Pierre

2014-06-01

To identify differences and gaps in recommendations to patients for the management of sport-related concussion among FPs, emergency department physicians (EDPs), and pediatricians. A self-administered, multiple-choice survey was e-mailed to FPs, EDPs, and pediatricians. The survey had been assessed for content validity. Two community teaching hospitals in the greater Toronto area in Ontario. Two hundred seventy physicians, including FPs, EDPs, and pediatricians, were invited to participate. Identification of sources of concussion management information, usefulness of concussion diagnosis strategies, and whether physicians use common terminology when explaining cognitive rest strategies to patients after sport-related concussions. The response rate was 43.7%. Surveys were completed by 70 FPs, 23 EDPs, and 11 pediatricians. In total, 49% of FP, 52% of EDP, and 27% of pediatrician respondents reported no knowledge of any consensus statements on concussion in sport, and 54% of FPs, 86% of EDPs, and 78% of pediatricians never used the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, version 2. Only 49% of FPs, 57% of EDPs, and 36% of pediatricians always advised cognitive rest. This study identified large gaps in the knowledge of concussion guidelines and implementation of recommendations for treating patients with sport-related concussions. Although some physicians recommended physical and cognitive rest, a large proportion failed to consistently advise this strategy. Better knowledge transfer efforts should target all 3 groups of physicians. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Kentucky physicians and politics.

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VonderHaar, W P; Monnig, W B

1998-09-01

Approximately 19% of Kentucky Physicians are KEMPAC members or contribute to state legislative and Gubernatorial candidates. This limited study of political activity indicates that a small percentage of physicians participate in the political process. Despite the small number of contributors to state legislative candidates, KMA's legislative and lobbying effort is highly effective and members receive high quality service and representation in the political arena.

Neurofilament markers for ALS correlate with extent of upper and lower motor neuron disease.

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Poesen, Koen; De Schaepdryver, Maxim; Stubendorff, Beatrice; Gille, Benjamin; Muckova, Petra; Wendler, Sindy; Prell, Tino; Ringer, Thomas M; Rhode, Heidrun; Stevens, Olivier; Claeys, Kristl G; Couwelier, Goedele; D'Hondt, Ann; Lamaire, Nikita; Tilkin, Petra; Van Reijen, Dimphna; Gourmaud, Sarah; Fedtke, Nadin; Heiling, Bianka; Rumpel, Matthias; Rödiger, Annekathrin; Gunkel, Anne; Witte, Otto W; Paquet, Claire; Vandenberghe, Rik; Grosskreutz, Julian; Van Damme, Philip

2017-06-13

To determine the diagnostic performance and prognostic value of phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) in CSF as possible biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the diagnostic phase. We measured CSF pNfH and NfL concentrations in 220 patients with ALS, 316 neurologic disease controls (DC), and 50 genuine disease mimics (DM) to determine and assess the accuracy of the diagnostic cutoff value for pNfH and NfL and to correlate with other clinical parameters. pNfH was most specific for motor neuron disease (specificity 88.2% [confidence interval (CI) 83.0%-92.3%]). pNfH had the best performance to differentially diagnose patients with ALS from DM with a sensitivity of 90.7% (CI 84.9%-94.8%), a specificity of 88.0% (CI 75.7%-95.5%) and a likelihood ratio of 7.6 (CI 3.6-16.0) at a cutoff of 768 pg/mL. CSF pNfH and NfL levels were significantly lower in slow disease progressors, however, with a poor prognostic performance with respect to the disease progression rate. CSF pNfH and NfL levels increased significantly as function of the number of regions with both upper and lower motor involvement. In particular, CSF pNfH concentrations show an added value as diagnostic biomarkers for ALS, whereas the prognostic value of pNfH and NfL warrants further investigation. Both pNfH and NfL correlated with the extent of motor neuron degeneration. This study provides Class II evidence that elevated concentrations of CSF pNfH and NfL can accurately identify patients with ALS. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

Supplementary physicians' fees: a sustainable system?

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Calcoen, Piet; van de Ven, Wynand P M M

2018-01-25

In Belgium and France, physicians can charge a supplementary fee on top of the tariff set by the mandatory basic health insurance scheme. In both countries, the supplementary fee system is under pressure because of financial sustainability concerns and a lack of added value for the patient. Expenditure on supplementary fees is increasing much faster than total health expenditure. So far, measures taken to curb this trend have not been successful. For certain categories of physicians, supplementary fees represent one-third of total income. For patients, however, the added value of supplementary fees is not that clear. Supplementary fees can buy comfort and access to physicians who refuse to treat patients who are not willing to pay supplementary fees. Perceived quality of care plays an important role in patients' willingness to pay supplementary fees. Today, there is no evidence that physicians who charge supplementary fees provide better quality of care than physicians who do not. However, linking supplementary fees to objectively proven quality of care and limiting access to top quality care to patients able and willing to pay supplementary fees might not be socially acceptable in many countries. Our conclusion is that supplementary physicians' fees are not sustainable.

Issues for the Traveling Team Physician.

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Kaeding, Christopher C; Borchers, James

2016-07-01

This article outlines the value of having the team physician traveling with athletes to away venues for competitions or training sessions. At present, this travel presents several issues for the team physician who crosses state lines for taking care of the athletes. In this article, these issues and their possible remedies are discussed. A concern for the travelling team physician is practicing medicine while caring for the team in a state where the physician is not licensed. Another issue can be the transportation of controlled substances in the course of providing optimal care for the team athletes. These two issues are regulatory and legislative issues at both the state and federal levels. On the practical side of being a team physician, the issues of emergency action plans, supplies, and when to transport injured or ill patients are also reviewed. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Stereotyping of medical disability claimants' communication behaviour by physicians: towards more focused education for social insurance physicians

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Berkhof M

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews (social insurance physicians are probably influenced by stereotypes of claimants, especially because they have limited time available and they have to make complicated decisions. Because little is known about the influences of stereotyping on assessment interviews, the objectives of this paper were to qualitatively investigate: (1 the content of stereotypes used to classify claimants with regard to the way in which they communicate; (2 the origins of such stereotypes; (3 the advantages and disadvantages of stereotyping in assessment interviews; and (4 how social insurance physicians minimise the undesirable influences of negative stereotyping. Methods Data were collected during three focus group meetings with social insurance physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews with sick-listed employees (i.e. claimants. The participants also completed a questionnaire about demographic characteristics. The data were qualitatively analysed in Atlas.ti in four steps, according to the grounded theory and the principle of constant comparison. Results A total of 22 social insurance physicians participated. Based on their responses, a claimant's communication was classified with regard to the degree of respect and acceptance in the physician-claimant relationship, and the degree of dominance. Most of the social insurance physicians reported that they classify claimants in general groups, and use these classifications to adapt their own communication behaviour. Moreover, the social insurance physicians revealed that their stereotypes originate from information in the claimants' files and first impressions. The main advantages of stereotyping were that this provides a framework for the assessment interview, it can save time, and it is interesting to check whether the stereotype is correct. Disadvantages of stereotyping were that the stereotypes often prove incorrect

The neglected repercussions of a physician advertising ban.

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Zwier, Sandra

2014-03-01

Although the adverse implications of physician advertising are the subject of a fierce and sustained debate, there is almost no scholarly discussion on the ethical repercussions of physician advertising bans. The present paper draws attention to these repercussions as they exist today in most of the world, with particular focus on three serious implications for the public: (a) uncertainty about the physician's interests, namely, that patients must trust the physician to put patient wellbeing ahead of possible gains when taking medical decisions; (b) uncertainty about alternative treatments, namely, that patients must trust in the physician's treatment decisions; and (c) uncertainty about the exclusive patient-physician relationship, namely, that patients must develop and maintain a good relationship with one physician. Physician advertising bans continue to tell the public in most of the modern world that these are irrelevant or inappropriate issues, meaning that they are effectively left to the public to resolve.

Burnout, job satisfaction, and medical malpractice among physicians.

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Chen, Kuan-Yu; Yang, Che-Ming; Lien, Che-Hui; Chiou, Hung-Yi; Lin, Mau-Roung; Chang, Hui-Ru; Chiu, Wen-Ta

2013-01-01

Our objective was to estimate the incidence of recent burnout in a large sample of Taiwanese physicians and analyze associations with job related satisfaction and medical malpractice experience. We performed a cross-sectional survey. Physicians were asked to fill out a questionnaire that included demographic information, practice characteristics, burnout, medical malpractice experience, job satisfaction, and medical error experience. There are about 2% of total physicians. Physicians who were members of the Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine, Taiwan Surgical Association, Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Taiwan Pediatric Association, and Taiwan Stroke Association, and physicians of two medical centers, three metropolitan hospitals, and two local community hospitals were recruited. There is high incidence of burnout among Taiwan physicians. In our research, Visiting staff (VS) and residents were more likely to have higher level of burnout of the emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). There was no difference in burnout types in gender. Married had higher-level burnout in EE. Physicians who were 20~30 years old had higher burnout levels in EE, those 31~40 years old had higher burnout levels in DP, and PA. Physicians who worked in medical centers had a higher rate in EE, DP, and who worked in metropolitan had higher burnout in PA. With specialty-in-training, physicians had higher-level burnout in EE and DP, but lower burnout in PA. Physicians who worked 13-17hr continuously had higher-level burnout in EE. Those with ≥41 times/week of being on call had higher-level burnout in EE and DP. Physicians who had medical malpractice experience had higher-level burnout in EE, DP, and PA. Physicians who were not satisfied with physician-patient relationships had higher-level burnout than those who were satisfied. Physicians in Taiwan face both burnout and a high risk in medical malpractice. There is high

House Calls: Physicians in the US Congress, 2005-2015.

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Goldenberg, Matthew N

2015-11-01

Physicians occupy a prominent position in the US healthcare system, and physicians who serve in Congress may bring a particular perspective, expertise, and influence to health-related legislation. The purpose of this study was to describe physician membership in the US Congress between 2005 and 2015. Congressional biographical records were searched to identify physicians who served in the US Congress from 2005 to 2015. Political and demographic characteristics of physician-members were compared with those of nonphysician-members of Congress and of all US physicians. The numbers of physicians in recent Congresses also were compared with those in each Congress since 1945. A total of 27 physicians representing 17 states have served in Congress since 2005. There has been a significant increase in physician representation since 1987, reaching a high of 20 members (3.7%) in the Congresses immediately following passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Physician-members were mostly men (93%) and more likely than their Congressional colleagues to be Republican (78% vs 53% of all members, P = 0.007) and from the South (63% vs 35% of all members, P = 0.003). Compared with physicians in general, physicians in Congress were more likely to be men (93% vs 70%, P = 0.009) and surgeons (26% vs 11%, P = 0.01). Physician representation in Congress has increased substantially since 2000, potentially reflecting the greater political prominence of healthcare issues, as well as increased interest by and recruitment of physician-candidates. Physicians in Congress differ from their colleagues and from physicians in general in various demographic and political characteristics.

Patients' request for and emergency physicians' prescription of antimicrobial prophylaxis for anthrax during the 2001 bioterrorism-related outbreak

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Aber Robert C

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inappropriate use of antibiotics by individuals worried about biological agent exposures during bioterrorism events is an important public health concern. However, little is documented about the extent to which individuals with self-identified risk of anthrax exposure approached physicians for antimicrobial prophylaxis during the 2001 bioterrorism attacks in the United States. Methods We conducted a telephone survey of randomly selected members of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians to assess patients' request for and emergency physicians' prescription of antimicrobial agents during the 2001 anthrax attacks. Results Ninety-seven physicians completed the survey. Sixty-four (66% respondents had received requests from patients for anthrax prophylaxis; 16 (25% of these physicians prescribed antibiotics to a total of 23 patients. Ten physicians prescribed ciprofloxacin while 8 physicians prescribed doxycycline. Conclusion During the 2001 bioterrorist attacks, the majority of the emergency physicians we surveyed encountered patients who requested anthrax prophylaxis. Public fears may lead to a high demand for antibiotic prophylaxis during bioterrorism events. Elucidation of the relationship between public health response to outbreaks and outcomes would yield insights to ease burden on frontline clinicians and guide strategies to control inappropriate antibiotic allocation during bioterrorist events.

Investigating word-of-mouth (WOM factors influencing patients’ physician choice and satisfaction

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Metin Argan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aims to determine the word-of-mouth constructs related to physician choice and to investigate relationships between the constructs and satisfaction. Method: A questionnaire consisted of three parts was conducted on people (n=1193 living in the province of Eskisehir, Turkey. The first part contained sixteen statements related to word-of-mouth messages about choosing a physician. A traditional approach to scale development was utilized. Items in the second part were concerned with satisfaction as the dependent variable. The final part included demographic variables. Results: The results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA revealed four valid WOM constructs (communication skill, expertise, reputation and success, and institutional facilities and structural equation model (SEM indicate that these constructs have both directly and indirectly effect on patient satisfaction. The results also showed that institutional facility mediated relationship between remaining factors and satisfaction. Conclusions: The relationships between physicians and patients have an indirect effect on potential patients. By understanding sources of patients’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction, physicians can develop appropriate relationship strategies to minimize the adverse effects of negative word-of-mouth on costs, quality and patient turnover. The results of the current study provide suggestions for better health care management and further insight into the challenges of improving patient satisfaction.

Dealing with ambiguity: Israeli physician's attitudes and practices regarding pre-exercise certificates: a questionnaire study.

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Hoffman, Robert D; Golan, Ron; Vinker, Shlomo

2016-01-01

modification of the law has made the need for standardization of the nature of what is expected of primary care physicians more urgent. A large portion of physicians exercise on a regular basis - and exercising physicians are more positive regarding pre-exercise certificates. Our study clearly shows a gap in knowledge transfer; and we call for a standardized approach to pre-exercise certificates utilizing computerized patient medical files.

Effect of attitudes towards patients on sexual history taking: a survey of Iranian-American physicians in California, USA.

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Rashidian, Mitra; Minichiello, Victor; Knutsen, Synnove F; Ghamsary, Mark

2017-11-01

Although obtaining sexual history from patients is essential, the attitudes of physicians can become a barrier to sexual health care. Iranian-American physicians may face particular challenges because talking about sexuality is considered a taboo within their culture. Our study examined these physicians' attitudes when taking a sexual history from their patients. In 2013, a self-administrated questionnaire was sent to 1550 Iranian-American physicians in California, USA. Using factor analysis, the principal components approach with a Varimax rotation was used on a set of 12-item questions (five-point Likert scales) to detect latent factors that explain attitudes affecting sexual history taking. Scores are generated to determine physicians' attitudes towards sexual history taking. In total, 354 questionnaires were returned (23% response rate). Three factors were identified as internally consistent (Cronbach's α=0.84 - 0.94): (1) attitude towards various patients; (2) female sexuality; and (3) age and marriage. Significant association were found between these three factors and some variables such as physicians' gender, country of medical graduation, religion, birthplace and age. Results revealed that cultural attitudes are important factors affecting physicians' involvement in sexual history taking. Additional studies from this population and other subpopulations of US physicians are needed. New strategies that reflect on physicians' attitude on sexual healthcare delivery is needed. If confirmed in other studies, our findings could have implications for the training of medical graduates globally.

Cancer pain management by radiotherapists: a survey of radiation therapy oncology group physicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleeland, Charles S.; Janjan, Nora A.; Scott, Charles B.; Seiferheld, Wendy F.; Curran, Walter J.

2000-01-01

Purpose: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) physicians were surveyed to determine their approach to and attitudes toward cancer pain management. Methods and Materials: Physicians completed a questionnaire assessing their estimates of the magnitude of pain as a specific problem for cancer patients, their perceptions of the adequacy of pain management, and their report of how they manage pain in their own practice setting. Results: Eighty-three percent believed the majority of cancer patients with pain were undermedicated. Forty percent reported that pain relief in their own practice setting was poor or fair. Assessing a case scenario, 23% would wait until the patient's prognosis was 6 months or less before starting maximal analgesia. Adjuvants and prophylactic side effect management were underutilized in the treatment plan. Barriers to pain management included poor pain assessment (77%), patient reluctance to report pain (60%), patient reluctance to take analgesics (72%), and staff reluctance to prescribe opioids (41%). Conclusions: Physicians' perceptions of barriers to cancer pain management remain quite stable over time, and physicians continue to report inadequate pain treatment education. Future educational efforts should target radiation oncologists as an important resource for the treatment of cancer pain

Workplace bullying and post-traumatic stress symptoms among family physicians in Lithuania: an occupation and region specific approach.

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Malinauskiene, Vilija; Einarsen, Staale

2014-12-01

The study investigated associations between workplace bullying and post-traumatic stress symptoms as compared to and controlled for associations between the latter and other psychosocial stress factors at work and in everyday life. The study employed a representative sample of Lithuanian family physicians, hence investigated a particularly resourceful occupational group in a geographical region earlier found to have a high risk context for exposure to bullying at work. With a response rate of 89.2%, a total of 323 family physicians filled in an anonymous questionnaire on workplace bullying, post-traumatic symptomatology (IES-R), other psychosocial stressors at work and in everyday life, personal health resources (sense of coherence), behavioral characteristics and demographic variables. The statistical software SPSS 14.0, Windows was used in the analysis. Associations were tested using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. A high prevalence of bullying was found among family physicians in Lithuania, with 13% of them experiencing severe workplace bullying and 17.3% experiencing more occasional incidents of bullying. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms was also high with 15.8% scoring above the standardized cut-off thresholds for post-traumatic stress disorder. The odds ratio (OR) of severe bullying for post-traumatic stress after adjustment for age and gender was 8.05 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.80-17.04). In the fully adjusted model it increased to 13.88 (95% CI: 4.68-41.13) indicating cumulative effects of all the investigated stressors. Workplace bullying is particularly prevalent among Lithuanian family physicians, as are the symptoms of post-traumatic distress. Strong associations between post-traumatic stress and exposure to severe bullying indicate that bullying is a significant source of mental health.

THE BUDGET, THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND THE PATIENT A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

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