Outcomes for Resident-Identified High-Risk Patients and Resident Perspectives of Year-End Continuity Clinic Handoffs

BACKGROUND

Many patients nationwide change their primary care physician (PCP) when internal medicine (IM) residents graduate. Few studies have examined this handoff.

OBJECTIVE

To assess patient outcomes and resident perspectives after the year-end continuity clinic handoff

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort

PARTICIPANTS

Patients who underwent a year-end clinic handoff in July 2010 and a comparison group of all other resident clinic patients from 2009–2011. PGY2 IM residents surveyed from 2010–2011.

MEASUREMENTS

Percent of high-risk patients after the clinic handoff scheduled for an appointment, who saw their assigned PCP, lost to follow-up, or had an acute visit (ED or hospitalization). Perceptions of PGY2 IM residents surveyed after receiving a clinic handoff.

RESULTS

Thirty graduating residents identified 258 high-risk patients. While nearly all patients (97 %) were scheduled, 29 % missed or cancelled their first new PCP visit. Only 44 % of patients saw the correct PCP and six months later, one-fifth were lost to follow-up. Patients not seen by a new PCP after the handoff were less likely to have appropriate follow-up for pending tests (0 % vs. 63 %, P < 0.001). A higher mean no show rate (NSR) was observed among patients who missed their first new PCP visit (22 % vs. 16 % NSR, p < 0.001) and those lost to follow-up (21 % vs. 17 % NSR, p = 0.019). While 47 % of residents worried about missing important data during the handoff, 47 % reported that they do not perceive patients as “theirs” until they are seen by them in clinic.

CONCLUSIONS

While most patients were scheduled for appointments after a clinic handoff, many did not see the correct resident and one-fifth were lost to follow-up. Patients who miss appointments are especially at risk of poor clinic handoff outcomes. Future efforts should improve patient attendance to their first new PCP visit and increase PCP ownership.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2100-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: outpatient handoffs, signout, resident continuity clinic, year-end transfer, transitions of care     

Factors Associated with Non-Compliance During 16-Hour Long Call Shifts

Background

Duty hour restrictions limit shift length to 16 hours during the 1^st post-graduate year. Although many programs utilize a 16-hour “long call” admitting shift on inpatient services, compliance with the 16-hour shift length and factors responsible for extended shifts have not been well examined.

Objective

To identify the incidence of and operational factors associated with extended long call shifts and residents’ perceptions of the safety and educational value of the 16-hour long call shift in a large internal medicine residency program.

Design, Participants, and Main Measures

Between August and December of 2010, residents were sent an electronic survey immediately following 16-hour long call shifts, assessing departure time and shift characteristics. We used logistic regression to identify independent predictors of extended shifts. In mid-December, all residents received a second survey to assess perceptions of the long call admitting model.

Key Results

Two-hundred and thirty surveys were completed (95 %). Overall, 92 of 230 (40 %) shifts included ≥1 team member exceeding the 16-hour limit. Factors independently associated with extended shifts per 3-member team were 3–4 patients (adjusted OR 5.2, 95 % CI 1.9–14.3) and > 4 patients (OR 10.6, 95 % CI 3.3–34.6) admitted within 6 hours of scheduled departure and > 6 total admissions (adjusted OR 2.9, 95 % CI 1.05–8.3). Seventy-nine of 96 (82 %) residents completed the perceptions survey. Residents believed, on average, teams could admit 4.5 patients after 5 pm and 7 patients during long call shifts to ensure compliance. Regarding the long call shift, 73 % agreed it allows for safe patient care, 60 % disagreed/were neutral about working too many hours, and 53 % rated the educational value in the top 33 % of a 9-point scale.

Conclusions

Compliance with the 16-hour long call shift is sensitive to total workload and workload timing factors. Knowledge of such factors should guide systems redesign aimed at achieving compliance while ensuring patient care and educational opportunities.KEY WORDS: medical education-graduate, medical education, systems-based practice, duty hours     

Does Patient Gender Impact Resident Physicians’ Approach to the Cardiac Exam?

Background

Physical examination remains an important part of the initial evaluation of patients presenting with chest pain but little is known about the effect of patient gender on physician performance of the cardiovascular exam.

Objective

To determine if resident physicians are less likely to perform five key components of the cardiovascular exam on female versus male standardized patients (SPs) presenting with acute chest pain.

Design

Videotape review of SP encounters during Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) administered by the Emory University Internal Medicine Residency Program in 2006 and 2007. Encounters were reviewed to assess residents’ performance of five cardiac exam skills: auscultation of the aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid, and mitral valve areas and palpation for the apical impulse.

Participants

One hundred forty-nine incoming residents.

Main Measures

Residents’ performance for each skill was classified as correct, incorrect, or unknown.

Key Results

One hundred ten of 149 (74 %) of encounters were available for review. Residents were less likely to correctly perform each of the five skills on female versus male SPs. This difference was statistically significant for auscultation of the tricuspid (p = 0.004, RR = 0.62, 95 % CI 0.46–0.83) and mitral (p = 0.007, RR = 0.58, 95 % CI = 0.41–0.83) valve regions and palpation for the apical impulse (p < 0.001, RR = 0.27, 95 % CI = 0.16–0.47). Male residents were less likely than female residents to correctly perform each maneuver on female versus male SPs. The interaction of SP gender and resident gender was statistically significant for auscultation of the mitral valve region (p = 0.006) and palpation for the apical impulse (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

We observed significant differences in the performance of key elements of the cardiac exam for female versus male SPs presenting with chest pain. This observation represents a previously unidentified but potentially important source of gender bias in the evaluation of patients presenting with cardiovascular complaints.KEY WORDS: cardiovascular disease, clinical skills assessment, disparities, women’s health, medical student and residency education     

Asthma Beliefs Are Associated with Medication Adherence in Older Asthmatics

BACKGROUND

Empirical research and health policies on asthma have focused on children and young adults, even though asthma morbidity and mortality are higher among older asthmatics.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship of asthma-related beliefs and self-reported controller medication adherence in older asthmatics.

DESIGN

An observational study of asthma beliefs and self-management among older adults.

PARTICIPANTS

Asthmatics ages ≥60 years (N = 324, mean age 67.4 ± 6.8, 28 % white, 32 % black, 30 % Hispanic) were recruited from primary care practices in New York City and Chicago.

MAIN MEASURES

Self-reported controller medication adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Report Scale. Based on the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation, patients were asked if they believe they only have asthma with symptoms, their physician can cure their asthma, and if their asthma will persist. Beliefs on the benefit, necessity and concerns of treatment use were also assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association of beliefs with self-reported medication adherence.

KEY RESULTS

The majority (57.0 %) of patients reported poor adherence. Poor self-reported adherence was more common among those with erroneous beliefs about asthma illness and treatments, including the “no symptoms, no asthma” belief (58.7 % vs. 31.7 %, respectively, p < 0.001), “will not always have asthma” belief (34.8 % vs. 12.5 %, p < 0.001), and the “MD can cure asthma” belief (21.7 % vs. 9.6 %, p = 0.01). Adjusting for illness beliefs, treatment beliefs and demographics, patients with a “no symptoms, no asthma” belief had lower odds of having good self-reported adherence (odds ratio [OR] 0.45, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.23-0.86), as did those with negative beliefs about the benefits (OR 0.73, 95 % CI 0.57-0.94) and necessity (OR 0.89, 95 % CI 0.83-0.96) of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Illness and treatment beliefs have a strong influence on self-reported medication adherence in older asthmatics. Interventions to improve medication adherence in older asthmatics by modifying illness and treatment beliefs warrant study.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2160-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: asthma, disease management, medication adherence, aging, health beliefs.     

Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Telehealth Collaborative Care Program for Persons with HIV Infection in a Rural Setting

BACKGROUND

Delivery of comprehensive care for persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in rural and low prevalence settings presents many challenges. We developed and evaluated a telehealth collaborative care (TCC) program for persons with HIV in a rural area.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the feasibility of TCC, and identify factors influencing implementation in rural settings.

DESIGN

Mixed methods evaluation of a quality improvement program with pre-measures and post-measures.

PATIENTS

Veterans with HIV infection in Iowa and Illinois.

INTERVENTION

TCC integrated HIV specialty care delivered by clinical video telehealth, with primary care delivered by generalist providers, in seven Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) serving rural areas. Principles guiding TCC design were: 1) clear delineation of specialty and primary care clinic roles in co-managed care; 2) creation of processes to improve care coordination between specialty and primary care teams; and 3) use of a patient registry for population management across sites.

MEASURES

Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system performance measures for care for HIV infection and common comorbidities, patient travel time to obtain care, and patient satisfaction. Qualitative evaluation involved semi-structured telephone interviews with patients.

KEY RESULTS

Thirty of 32 eligible patients chose TCC over traveling to the HIV clinic for all care. Among 24 patients in TCC during the June 2011–May 2012 evaluation period, median age was 54 (range, 40–79), most (96 %) were men, and median CD4 count was 707 cells/cm³ (range, 233–1307). VA performance measures were met for > 90 % of TCC patients. Median yearly travel time decreased from 320 min per patient prior to TCC to 170 min during TCC (p < 0.001). Interview themes included: 1) overcoming privacy concerns during care in local primary care clinics; 2) tradeoffs between access, continuity, and care coordination; and 3) the role of specialist involvement in collaborative care.

DISCUSSION

Telehealth Collaborative Care is a feasible approach to providing accessible and comprehensive care for persons with HIV in rural settings.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-013-2385-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: HIV, rural health, telehealth, veterans     

Improving Medication Adherence through Graphically Enhanced Interventions in Coronary Heart Disease (IMAGE-CHD): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Up to 50 % of patients do not take medications as prescribed. Interventions to improve adherence are needed, with an understanding of which patients benefit most.

Objective

To test the effect of two low-literacy interventions on medication adherence.

Design

Randomized controlled trial, 2 × 2 factorial design.

Participants

Adults with coronary heart disease in an inner-city primary care clinic.

Interventions

For 1 year, patients received usual care, refill reminder postcards, illustrated daily medication schedules, or both interventions.

Main Measures

The primary outcome was cardiovascular medication refill adherence, assessed by the cumulative medication gap (CMG). Patients with CMG < 0.20 were considered adherent. We assessed the effect of the interventions overall and, post-hoc, in subgroups of interest.

Key Results

Most of the 435 participants were elderly (mean age = 63.7 years), African-American (91 %), and read below the 9th-grade level (78 %). Among the 420 subjects (97 %) for whom CMG could be calculated, 138 (32.9 %) had CMG < 0.20 during follow-up and were considered adherent. Overall, adherence did not differ significantly across treatments: 31.2 % in usual care, 28.3 % with mailed refill reminders, 34.2 % with illustrated medication schedules, and 36.9 % with both interventions. In post-hoc analyses, illustrated medication schedules led to significantly greater odds of adherence among patients who at baseline had more than eight medications (OR = 2.2; 95 % CI, 1.21 to 4.04) or low self-efficacy for managing medications (OR = 2.15; 95 % CI, 1.11 to 4.16); a trend was present among patients who reported non-adherence at baseline (OR = 1.89; 95 % CI, 0.99 to 3.60).

Conclusions

The interventions did not improve adherence overall. Illustrated medication schedules may improve adherence among patients with low self-efficacy, polypharmacy, or baseline non-adherence, though this requires confirmation.KEY WORDS: coronary heart disease, medical adherence, medication management     

Clinic accessibility and clinic‐level predictors of the geographic variation in 2009 pandemic influenza vaccine coverage in Montreal,Canada

Background

Nineteen mass vaccination clinics were established in Montreal, Canada, as part of the 2009 influenza A/H1N1p vaccination campaign. Although approximately 50% of the population was vaccinated, there was a considerable variation in clinic performance and community vaccine coverage.

Objective

To identify community- and clinic-level predictors of vaccine uptake, while accounting for the accessibility of clinics from the community of residence.

Methods

All records of influenza A/H1N1p vaccinations administered in Montreal were obtained from a vaccine registry. Multivariable regression models, specifically Bayesian gravity models, were used to assess the relationship between vaccination rates and clinic accessibility, clinic-level factors, and community-level factors.

Results

Relative risks compare the vaccination rates at the variable''s upper quartile to the lower quartile. All else being equal, clinics in areas with high violent crime rates, high residential density, and high levels of material deprivation tended to perform poorly (adjusted relative risk [ARR]: 0·917, 95% CI [credible interval]: 0·915, 0·918; ARR: 0·663, 95% CI: 0·660, 0·666, ARR: 0·649, 95% CI: 0·645, 0·654, respectively). Even after controlling for accessibility and clinic-level predictors, communities with a greater proportion of new immigrants and families living below the poverty level tended to have lower rates (ARR: 0·936, 95% CI: 0·913, 0·959; ARR: 0·918, 95% CI: 0·893, 0·946, respectively), while communities with a higher proportion speaking English or French tended to have higher rates (ARR: 1·034, 95% CI: 1·012, 1·059).

Conclusion

In planning future mass vaccination campaigns, the gravity model could be used to compare expected vaccine uptake for different clinic location strategies.     

Blood Pressure Monitoring Technique Impacts Hypertension Treatment

BACKGROUND

In 2005 the American Heart Association (AHA) released updated recommendations for blood pressure (BP) monitoring in order to ensure accurate BP measurements.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if current methods of BP assessment in an ambulatory clinic result in significantly different BP measurements than those obtained by following the AHA recommendations and if these BP differences impact treatment decisions.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Randomized prospective analysis.

SETTING

University of New Mexico Hospital Adult Internal Medicine clinic.

PATIENTS

Forty adults with hypertension

METHODS

Patient BPs were measured using both the traditional triage method and the AHA-recommended method in cross-over fashion in random order. Two complete medical profile summaries were then constructed for each patient: one for each BP measurement obtained by each technique. These profiles were then reviewed by a panel of providers who provided hypothetical hypertension treatment recommendations.

RESULTS

Individual BP results varied greatly between the two methods. SBP readings differed by ≥5 mmHg in either direction for 68% of patients while 78% of patient’s DBP readings differed by ≥2 mmHg in either direction. Overall, 93% of patients had a BP difference of either ≥5 mmHg systolic or ≥2 mmHg diastolic. Five patients were determined to be at goal with the triage method, but were higher than their goal BP with the AHA method Significant differences were also seen in treatment recommendations for a given patient based on the differences seen between the two obtained BP readings. The number of patients with treatment variations between their two profiles ranged from 13% to 23% depending on the reviewing provider (p < 0.01 for all providers).

CONCLUSION

Inaccurate BP assessment is common and may impact hypertension treatment decisions.KEY WORDS: blood pressure measurement, hypertension     

Association Between Race, Depression, and Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence in a Low-Income Population with HIV Infection

Background

Racial disparities exist in many aspects of HIV/AIDS. Comorbid depression adds to the complexity of disease management. However, prior research does not clearly show an association between race and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, or depression and adherence. It is also not known whether the co-existence of depression modifies any racial differences that may exist.

Objective

To examine racial differences in ART adherence and whether the presence of comorbid depression moderates these differences among Medicaid-enrolled HIV-infected patients.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Multi-state Medicaid database (Thomson Reuters MarketScan®).

Participants

Data for 7,034 HIV-infected patients with at least two months of antiretroviral drug claims between 2003 and 2007 were assessed.

Main Measures

Antiretroviral therapy adherence (90 % days covered) were measured for a 12-month period. The main independent variables of interest were race and depression. Other covariates included patient variables, clinical variables (comorbidity and disease severity), and therapy-related variables.

Key Results

In this study sample, over 66 % of patients were of black race, and almost 50 % experienced depression during the study period. A significantly higher portion of non-black patients were able to achieve optimal adherence (≥90 %) compared to black patients (38.6 % vs. 28.7 %, p < 0.001). In fact, black patients had nearly 30 % decreased odds of being optimally adherent to antiretroviral drugs compared to non-black patients (OR = 0.70, 95 % CI: 0.63–0.78), and was unchanged regard less of whether the patient had depression. Antidepressant treatment nearly doubled the odds of optimal ART adherence among patients with depression (OR = 1.92, 95 % CI: 1.12–3.29).

Conclusions

Black race was significantly associated with worse ART adherence, which was not modified by the presence of depression. Under-diagnosis and under-treatment of depression may hinder ART adherence among HIV-infected patients of all races.KEY WORDS: HIV, adherence, depression, race, Medicaid     

Impact of a 360-degree Professionalism Assessment on Faculty Comfort and Skills in Feedback Delivery

Background

Professionalism is identified as a competency of resident education. Best approaches to teaching and evaluating professionalism are unknown, but feedback about professionalism is necessary to change practice and behavior. Faculty discomfort with professionalism may limit their delivery of feedback to residents.

Objectives

A pilot program to implement a 360-degree evaluation of observable professionalism behaviors and determine how its use impacts faculty feedback to residents.

Design

Internal Medicine (IM) residents were evaluated during ambulatory rotations using a 360-degree assessment of professional behaviors developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners®. Faculty used evaluation results to provide individual feedback to residents.

Patients/Participants

Fifteen faculty members.

Measurements and Main Results

Faculty completed pre- and post-intervention surveys. Using a 7-point Likert scale, faculty reported increased skill in giving general feedback (4.85 vs 4.36, p < .05) and feedback about professionalism (4.71 vs 3.57, p < .01) after the implementation of the 360-degree evaluation. They reported increased comfort giving feedback about professionalism (5.07 vs 4.35, p < .05) but not about giving feedback in general (5.43 vs 5.50).

Conclusions

A 360-degree professionalism evaluation instrument used to guide feedback to residents improves faculty comfort and self-assessed skill in giving feedback about professionalism.KEY WORDS: professionalism, feedback, 360-degree evaluation, internship, residency     

Acute Care Utilization by Patients After Graduation of Their Resident Primary Care Physicians

BACKGROUND

The disruption in provider continuity caused by medical resident graduation may result in adverse patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to investigate whether resident graduation was associated with increased acute care utilization by residents’ primary care patients.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients cared for by junior and senior residents finishing the academic year in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

MAIN MEASURES

We compared rates of clinic visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations between transitioning patients whose residents were graduating and non-transitioning patients whose residents were not graduating.

KEY RESULTS

Our study population comprised 90 residents, 4018 unique patients, and 5988 resident–patient dyads that transitioned (n = 3136) or did not transition (n = 2852). For transitioning patients, the clinic visit rate per 100 patients in the 4 months before and after graduation was 129 and 102, respectively; for non-transitioning patients, the clinic visit rate was 119 and 94, respectively (difference-in-differences, +2 per 100 patients; p = 0.12). For transitioning patients, the ED visit rate per 100 patients before and after graduation was 29 and 26, respectively; for non-transitioning patients, the ED visit rate was 28 and 25, respectively (difference-in-differences, 0; p = 0.49). For transitioning patients, the hospitalization rate per 100 patients before and after graduation was 14 and 13, respectively; for non-transitioning patients, the hospitalization rate was 15 and 12, respectively (difference-in-differences, −2; p = 0.20). In multivariable modeling there was no increased risk for transitioning patients for clinic visits (adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 1.03; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 1.10), ED visits (aRR, 1.05; 95 % CI, 0.92 to 1.20), or hospitalizations (aRR, 1.04; 95 % CI, 0.83 to 1.31).

CONCLUSIONS

Acute care utilization by residents’ patients did not increase or decrease after graduation. Acute care utilization was high before and after graduation. Interventions to decrease the need for acute care should be employed throughout the year.KEY WORDS: continuity of care, care transitions, medical education-systems based practice, medical education-graduate, ambulatory care, utilization     

Moving Forward in GME Reform: A 4 + 1 Model of Resident Ambulatory Training

BACKGROUND

Traditional ambulatory training models have limitations in important domains, including opportunities for residents to learn, fragmentation of care delivery experience, and satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. New models of ambulatory training are needed.

AIM

To compare the impact of a traditional ambulatory training model with a templated 4 + 1 model.

SETTING

A large university-based internal medicine residency using three different training sites: a patient-centered medical home, a hospital-based ambulatory clinic, and community private practices.

PARTICIPANTS

Residents, faculty, and administrative staff.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Development of a templated 4 + 1 model of residency where trainees do not attend to inpatient and outpatient responsibilities simultaneously.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

A mixed-methods analysis of survey and nominal group data measuring three primary outcomes: 1) Perception of learning opportunities and quality of faculty teaching; 2) Reported fragmentation of care delivery experience; 3) Satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. Self-reported empanelment was a secondary outcome. Residents’ learning opportunities increased (p = 0.007) but quality of faculty teaching was unchanged. Participants reported less fragmentation in the care residents provide patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting (p < 0.0001). Satisfaction with ambulatory training improved (p < 0.0001). Self-reported empanelment also increased (p < 0.0001). Results held true for residents, faculty, and staff at all three ambulatory training sites (p < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION

A 4 + 1 model increased resident time in ambulatory continuity clinic, enhanced learning opportunities, reduced fragmentation of care residents provide, and improved satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. More studies of similar models are needed to evaluate effects on additional trainee and patient outcomes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-013-2387-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: ambulatory training, 4 + 1 model     

Ebola Risk and Preparedness: A National Survey of Internists

Background

The 2014–2015 Ebola virus disease (Ebola) epidemic centered in West Africa highlighted recurring challenges in the United States regarding risk communication and preparedness during global epidemics.

Objective

To investigate perceptions, preparedness, and knowledge among U.S. internists with regard to Ebola risk.

Design

Cross-sectional Web-based national survey distributed by e-mail between December 2014 and January 2015.

Participants

Practicing U.S. internists participating in a research panel representative of American College of Physicians (ACP) membership.

Main Measures

Respondents’ perceptions of Ebola, reported sources of information, and reported management of possible Ebola cases. The primary predictor was the possibility of encountering Ebola (based on respondents’ geographic proximity to designated airports or confirmed Ebola cases, or on their patients’ travel histories). Pre-specified outcomes included reported management intensity in clinical vignettes involving patients at low risk of symptomatic Ebola as well as reported Ebola preparedness.

Key Results

The survey response rate was 46.1 %. Among the 202 respondents, 9.9 % (95 % CI 6.2–14.9 %) reported that they had recently evaluated a patient who had traveled to West Africa. Seventy percent (95 % CI 63.0–76.0 %) reported a practice-level protocol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was the most popular source for Ebola information (75.2 %, 95 % CI 68.7–81.0 %). Most respondents felt very (45.0 %) or somewhat prepared (52.0 %) to communicate information about or diagnose Ebola, especially those with the possibility of encountering Ebola and those who reported medical journals, professional groups, or government as information sources. One-fifth of respondents (19.8 %, 95 % CI 14.5–26.0 %) reported overly intensive management for low-risk patients. Those with the possibility of encountering Ebola were less likely to report overly intensive management (3.1 vs. 22.9 %, p = 0.011).

Conclusions

Internists had wide-ranging views and understanding of Ebola risk; those least likely to encounter Ebola were most likely to be overly aggressive in managing patients at low risk. Our findings underscore the need for better risk communication through various information channels to empower frontline providers in infectious disease outbreaks.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-015-3493-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEYWORDS: Ebola, risk communication, physician behavior, medical decision making, evidence based medicine     

Effect of Exercise on Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Increased blood pressure (BP) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) markedly increases cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality risk compared to having increased BP alone.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether exercise reduces suboptimal levels of untreated suboptimal BP or treated hypertension.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized controlled trial for 6 months.

SETTING

Single center in Baltimore, MD, USA.

PATIENTS

140 participants with T2DM not requiring insulin and untreated SBP of 120–159 or DBP of 85–99 mmHg, or, if being treated for hypertension, any SBP <159 mmHg or DBP < 99 mmHg; 114 completed the study.

INTERVENTION

Supervised exercise, 3 times per week for 6 months compared with general advice about physical activity.

MEASUREMENTS

Resting SBP and DBP (primary outcome); diabetes status, arterial stiffness assessed as carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (PWV), body composition and fitness (secondary outcomes).

RESULTS

Overall baseline BP was 126.8 ± 13.5 / 71.7 ± 9.0 mmHg, with no group differences. At 6 months, BP was unchanged from baseline in either group, BP 125.8 ± 13.2 / 70.7 ± 8.8 mmHg in controls; and 126.0 ± 14.2 / 70.3 ± 9.0 mmHg in exercisers, despite attaining a training effects as evidenced by increased aerobic and strength fitness and lean mass and reduced fat mass (all p < 0.05), Overall baseline PWV was 959.9 ± 333.1 cm/s, with no group difference. At 6-months, PWV did not change and was not different between group; exercisers, 923.7 ± 319.8 cm/s, 905.5 ± 344.7, controls.

LIMITATIONS

A completion rate of 81 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Though exercisers improve fitness and body composition, there were no reductions in BP. The lack of change in arterial stiffness suggests a resistance to exercise-induced BP reduction in persons with T2DM.KEY WORDS: exercise training, diabetes, high blood pressure, randomized trial     

Electronic Tools to Assist with Identification and Counseling for Overweight Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Physicians often do not recognize when their patients are overweight and infrequently counsel them about weight loss.

Objective

To evaluate a set of electronic health record (EHR)-embedded tools to assist with identification and counseling of overweight patients.

Design

Randomized controlled trial.

Participants

Physicians at an academic general internal medicine clinic were randomized to activation of the EHR tools (n = 15) or to usual care (n = 15). Patients of these physicians were included in analyses if they had a body mass index (BMI) between 27 and 29.9 kg/m².

Intervention

The EHR tool set included: a physician point-of-care alert for overweight (BMI 27–29. 9 kg/m²); a counseling template to help physicians counsel patients on action plans; and an order set to facilitate entry of overweight as a diagnosis and to order relevant patient handouts.

Main Measures

Physician documentation of overweight as a problem; documentation of weight-specific counseling; physician perceptions of the EHR tools; patient self-reported progress toward their goals and perspectives about counseling received.

Key Results

Patients of physicians receiving the intervention were more likely than those of usual care physicians to receive a diagnosis of overweight (22% vs. 7%; p = 0.02) and weight-specific counseling (27% vs. 15%; p = 0.02). Most patients receiving counseling in the intervention group reported increased motivation to lose weight (90%) and taking steps toward their goal (93%). Most intervention physicians agreed that the tool alerted them to patients they did not realize were overweight (91%) and improved the effectiveness of their counseling (82%); more than half (55%) reported counseling overweight patients more frequently (55%). However, most physicians used the tool infrequently because of time barriers.

Conclusions

EHR-based alerts and management tools increased documentation of overweight and counseling frequency; the majority of patients for whom the tools were used reported short-term behavior change.KEY WORDS: overweight, counseling, electronic health record     

Current status of glucose,blood pressure and lipid management in type 2 diabetes clinic attendees in Isfahan,Iran

Aims/Introduction

To estimate the prevalence of meeting American Diabetes Association clinical practice recommendations for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) among Iranian type 2 diabetes clinic attendees, and to identify the factors associated with therapeutic target achievement.

Materials and Methods

A total of 2,640 patients with type 2 diabetes (944 men and 1,696 women) from Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center outpatient clinics, Iran, were examined. The main outcome measures were HbA1c, BP and LDLC, in accordance with the American Diabetes Association recommendations. The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 49.6 years (9.3 years) with a mean (standard deviation) duration of diabetes of 5.0 years (4.9 years) at initial registration.

Results

The percentages of patients who had HbA1c <7%, BP <140/90 mmHg and LDLC <100 mg/dL was 37.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35.6–39.3), 35.3% (95% CI 33.5–37.3) and 48.9% (95% CI 47.0–50.8), respectively. The proportion of patients meeting all three goals was 7.7% (95% CI 6.7–8.8). Lower BP, cholesterol level and higher education at registration, and higher follow up but lower number of follow-up visits affected achievement of all three goals.

Conclusions

The present study highlights that a substantial proportion of Iranian type 2 diabetes clinic attendees did not meet the American Diabetes Association clinical practice recommendations, and shows the difficult challenges physicians face when treating patients with type 2 diabetes.     

Burnout and Distress Among Internal Medicine Program Directors: Results of A National Survey

BACKGROUND

Physician burnout and distress has been described in national studies of practicing physicians, internal medicine (IM) residents, IM clerkship directors, and medical school deans. However, no comparable national data exist for IM residency program directors.

OBJECTIVE

To assess burnout and distress among IM residency program directors, and to evaluate relationships of distress with personal and program characteristics and perceptions regarding implementation and consequences of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) regulations.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

The 2010 Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM) Annual Survey, developed by the APDIM Survey Committee, was sent in August 2010 to the 377 program directors with APDIM membership, representing 99.0 % of the 381 United States categorical IM residency programs.

MAIN MEASURES

The 2010 APDIM Annual Survey included validated items on well-being and distress, including questions addressing quality of life, satisfaction with work-life balance, and burnout. Questions addressing personal and program characteristics and perceptions regarding implementation and consequences of ACGME regulations were also included.

KEY RESULTS

Of 377 eligible program directors, 282 (74.8 %) completed surveys. Among respondents, 12.4 % and 28.8 % rated their quality of life and satisfaction with work-life balance negatively, respectively. Also, 27.0 % reported emotional exhaustion, 10.4 % reported depersonalization, and 28.7 % reported overall burnout. These rates were lower than those reported previously in national studies of medical students, IM residents, practicing physicians, IM clerkship directors, and medical school deans. Aspects of distress were more common among younger program directors, women, and those reporting greater weekly work hours. Work–home conflicts were common and associated with all domains of distress, especially if not resolved in a manner effectively balancing work and home responsibilities. Associations with program characteristics such as program size and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) pass rates were not found apart from higher rates of depersonalization among directors of community-based programs (23.5 % vs. 8.6 %, p = 0.01). We did not observe any consistent associations between distress and perceptions of implementation and consequences of program regulations.

CONCLUSIONS

The well-being of IM program directors across domains, including quality of life, satisfaction with work-life balance, and burnout, appears generally superior to that of medical trainees, practicing physicians, and other medical educators nationally. Additionally, it is reassuring that program directors'' perceptions of their ability to respond to current regulatory requirements are not adversely associated with distress. However, the increased distress levels among younger program directors, women, and those at community-based training programs reported in this study are important concerns worthy of further study.KEY WORDS: graduate medical education, residency, burnout, well-being     

Variation in Primary Care Physicians’ Colorectal Cancer Screening Recommendations by Patient Age and Comorbidity

BACKGROUND

Screening patterns among primary care physicians (PCPs) may be influenced by patient age and comorbidity. Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has little benefit among patients with limited life expectancy.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the extent to which PCPs modify their recommendations for CRC screening based upon patients’ increasing age and/or worsening comorbidity

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, nationally representative survey.

PARTICIPANTS

The study comprised primary care physicians (n = 1,266) including general internal medicine, family practice, and obstetrics-gynecology physicians.

MAIN MEASURES

Physician CRC screening recommendations among patients of varying age and comorbidity were measured based upon clinical vignettes. Independent variables in adjusted models included physician and practice characteristics.

KEY RESULTS

For an 80-year-old patient with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 25 % of PCPs recommended CRC screening. For an 80-year-old patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy (New York Heart Association, Class II), 71 % of PCPs recommended CRC screening. PCPs were more likely to recommend fecal occult blood testing than colonoscopy as the preferred screening modality for a healthy 80-year-old, compared to healthy 50- or 65-year-old patients (19 % vs. 5 % vs. 2 % p < 0.001). For an 80-year-old with unresectable NSCLC, PCPs who were an obstetrics-gynecology physician were more likely to recommend CRC screening, while those with a full electronic medical record were less likely to recommend screening.

CONCLUSIONS

PCPs consider comorbidity when screening older patients for CRC and may change the screening modality from colonoscopy to FOBT. However, a sizable proportion of PCPs would recommend screening for patients with advanced cancer who would not benefit. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these patterns will facilitate the design of future medical education and policy interventions to reduce unnecessary care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2093-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.KEY WORDS: cancer screening, health services, colorectal cancer, primary care physicians     

Comparison of carotid and lower limb atherosclerotic lesions in both previously known and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

Aims/Introduction

To compare carotid and lower limb atherosclerotic lesions, and examine if carotid atherosclerotic lesions are in line with lower limb atherosclerotic lesions, and can reflect generalized atherosclerosis in inpatients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

This was an observational study carried out in 867 Chinese inpatients with type 2 diabetes, including 573 previously known and 294 newly diagnosed patients. Ultrasonographic assessments of intima-media thickness (IMT), plaques, and stenosis in the carotid and lower limb arteries were evaluated. Atherosclerotic lesions between the carotid and lower limb arteries were compared in both previously known and newly diagnosed diabetes, respectively.

Results

In both the known (77.3% vs 49.4%, P < 0.001) and the newly diagnosed diabetes (55.4% vs 29.9%, P < 0.001), the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaques was significantly higher in the lower limb arteries than in the carotid arteries. Likewise, the prevalence of stenosis was also significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the lower limb arteries (16.9%) than in the carotid arteries (4.2%) in the established diabetes patients. However, there was no significant difference in the mean IMT between common carotid and common femoral arteries in both the previously known (0.90 ± 0.24 mm vs 0.89 ± 0.20 mm, P = 0.675) and the newly diagnosed diabetes patients (0.86 ± 0.22 mm vs 0.85 ± 0.16 mm, P = 0.436).

Conclusions

Carotid plaques might underestimate generalized plaques in inpatients with type 2 diabetes, as shown by its significantly lower prevalence compared with that of the lower extremity arteries. A combined carotid and lower limb ultrasound examination can improve the detection of atherosclerotic lesions in inpatients with type 2 diabetes.