scholarly journals P.025 Is this headache normal?: Assessing electronic referrals for headache from primary care physicians

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (s2) ◽  
pp. S22-S22
Author(s):  
L Panamsky ◽  
A Bradi ◽  
L Sitwell ◽  
C Liddy ◽  
A Afkham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Unusual Presentation ◽  
Imaging Findings ◽  
Electronic Resources ◽  
Consultation Service ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Headache Type ◽  
Clinical Resource

Background: Headache is one of the most frequent complaints in primary care. We reviewed headache questions submitted to an electronic consultation service in Ontario to classify the types of headaches and describe the questions being asked. We also identified reasons why answers were not retrievable within UpToDate, an online clinical resource. Methods: 65 headache eConsults were further divided into 85 questions and categorized by headache type and question theme. Questions were manually searched within UpToDate to determine if they could be answered using this resource. The intent to refer the patient for a face-to-face referral after the eConsult was collected. Results: The top classifications were migraine, unclassified headache, and exertional and/or coital headache. The themes -identified were medication questions (41.7%), investigation questions (33.3%), clinical concerns despite normal neurologic exam and/or imaging (15.5%); and abnormal imaging findings (9.5%). Answers to 40.1% of the questions were not retrievable in UpToDate. The main reason for irretrievability was an unusual presentation. Only 33.8% of eConsults resulted in a face-to-face referral to a specialist. Conclusions: Although electronic resources may be useful in some cases, clinical nuances cannot be accounted for. By providing physicians with rapid access to specialists, eConsult services may obviate the need for formal, face-to-face referrals.

scholarly journals Administrative Work and Job Role Beliefs in Primary Care Physicians: An Analysis of Semi-Structured Interviews

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401989909
Author(s):  
Eric Apaydin
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Job Roles ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Administrative Work ◽  
Job Role ◽  
The Relationship

Primary care physicians face increasing amounts of administrative work (e.g., entering notes into electronic health records, managing insurance issues, delivering test results, etc.) outside of face-to-face patient visits. The objective of this study is to qualitatively describe the experience that primary care physicians have with administrative work, with an emphasis on their beliefs about their job role. I conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 family physicians and internists in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami and qualitatively analyzed themes from interview transcripts using the grounded theory approach. Two major themes concerning the relationship between primary care physicians and administrative work were discovered: (a) Administrative work was not central to primary care physicians’ job role beliefs, and (b) “below license” work should be delegated to nonphysicians. Job roles should be considered in future efforts to reduce physician administrative work in primary care.

scholarly journals Factors affecting general practitioners’ choice of drug therapy: A study in primary healthcare in Iceland

2021 ◽  
Vol 107 (11) ◽  
pp. 522-527
Author(s):  
Yrsa Ívarsdóttir ◽  
◽  
Jón Steinar Jónsson ◽  
Kristján Linnet ◽  
Anna Bryndís Blöndal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Drug Interaction ◽  
Drug Therapy ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Software Information ◽  
Strongly Agree

Introduction: This study aimed to analyse several factors that influence the decision-making of primary care physicians in Iceland in their choice of drug therapy for their patients. Also, to find which factors can act as a hindrance in making the best choices. Finally, to analyse which elements could be most important in facilitating decisions. Material and methods: A questionnaire was sent by e-mail to physicians working in primary care in Iceland. The questionnaire comprised closed questions, open text boxes, and ranking questions. The data was processed and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: The total number of primary care physicians who responded to the questionnaire was 93, a response rate of 40.7% of all the primary care physicians. The results reveal that physicians working in primary care consider clinical guidelines, the Icelandic National Formulary, and personal experience to be the most important factors when choosing a medication. Primary care physicians strongly agree that the lack of drug interaction software connected to medical records is a shortcoming. The most important factors that need improvement to facilitate primary care physicians' decision-making are drug formularies and interaction software. Conclusion: The results suggest some factors that support physicians in primary care in making decisions when choosing drug therapy, such as a drug formulary, drug interaction software, information about patients’ drug therapy, variable length in face-to-face consultations, evidence based information on new drugs, and counselling provided by clinical pharmacists.

scholarly journals Evaluation of an electronic consultation service in psychiatry for primary care providers

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Archibald ◽  
Julia Stratton ◽  
Clare Liddy ◽  
Rachel E. Grant ◽  
Douglas Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Consultation Service ◽  
Electronic Consultation

scholarly journals Improving Access to Rheumatologists: Use and Benefits of an Electronic Consultation Service

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista Rostom ◽  
C. Douglas Smith ◽  
Clare Liddy ◽  
Amir Afkham ◽  
Erin Keely
Keyword(s):  
Drug Treatment ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Consultation Service ◽  
Median Response ◽  
Or Management ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Common Diagnosis ◽  
Clinical Questions ◽  
Improve Access

Objective.To describe the use and benefits of an innovative eConsult service to improve access to rheumatologists.Methods.There were 225 eConsults directed to rheumatology that were categorized by type of question and effect on face-to-face referral rates.Results.The median response time by the rheumatologists was 1.9 days. Clinical questions included drug treatment (34%), diagnosis (26%), or management (14%). Osteoporosis was the most common diagnosis (22%), followed by pain in multiple joints (11%), and polyarthritis (10%). A face-to-face referral was avoided in 38% of cases.Conclusion.There are clinical questions that can be answered quickly by an eConsult, improving access to rheumatologists.

scholarly journals “Chasing a Ghost”: Factors that Influence Primary Care Physicians to Follow Up on Incidental Imaging Findings

Radiology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 281 (2) ◽  
pp. 567-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna M. Zafar ◽  
Eva K. Bugos ◽  
Curtis P. Langlotz ◽  
Rosemary Frasso
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Imaging Findings

scholarly journals Evaluation of an electronic consultation service for transgender care

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jatinderpreet Singh ◽  
Allison Lou ◽  
Michael Green ◽  
Erin Keely ◽  
Mary Greenaway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Hormone Therapy ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Clinical Questions ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Background Access to transgender care in Canada is poor. Although primary care providers are ideally positioned to initiate care, many feel uncomfortable providing transgender care. This study aimed to explore the impact of an electronic consultation (eConsult) service between primary care providers and transgender care specialists on access to care and to explore the content of clinical questions that were asked. Methods This was a retrospective mixed methods analysis of 62 eConsults submitted between January 2017 and December 2018 by primary care providers to specialists in transgender care in a health region in eastern Ontario, Canada. A descriptive analysis was conducted to assess the average response time and the total time spent by the specialist for the eConsults. An inductive and deductive content analysis was carried out to identify common themes of clinical questions being asked to transgender specialists. A post-eConsult survey completed by primary care providers was assessed to gain insight into avoided face-to-face referrals and overall provider satisfaction. Results The median specialist response time was 1.2 days (range: 1 h to 5 days) and the average time spent by specialists per eConsult was 18 min (range: 10 to 40 min). The qualitative analysis identified six major themes: 1) interpretation/management of abnormal bloodwork, 2) change in management due to lack of desired effect/hormone levels not a target, 3) initiation of hormone therapy/initial work up, 4) management of adverse effects of hormone therapy, 5) transition related surgery counseling and post-op complications, and 6) management of patients with comorbidities. Approximately one-third of eConsults resulted in an avoided face-to-face referral and 95% of primary care providers rated the value of their eConsult as a 5 (excellent value) or 4. Conclusions This study demonstrated that a transgender eConsult service has potential to significantly improve access to care for transgender patients. Given the importance that timely access has on improving mental health and reducing suicide attempts, eConsult has the potential to make a substantial clinical impact on this population. Identified themes of eConsult questions provides insight into potential gaps in knowledge amongst primary care providers that could help inform future continuing education events.

scholarly journals The myth of standardized workflow in primary care

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Talley Holman ◽  
John W Beasley ◽  
Ben-Tzion Karsh ◽  
Jamie A Stone ◽  
Paul D Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Primary Care Visit ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Primary Care Clinics ◽  
Task List ◽  
Workflow Pattern ◽  
Electronic Health

Abstract Objective Primary care efficiency and quality are essential for the nation’s health. The demands on primary care physicians (PCPs) are increasing as healthcare becomes more complex. A more complete understanding of PCP workflow variation is needed to guide future healthcare redesigns. Methods This analysis evaluates workflow variation in terms of the sequence of tasks performed during patient visits. Two patient visits from 10 PCPs from 10 different United States Midwestern primary care clinics were analyzed to determine physician workflow. Tasks and the progressive sequence of those tasks were observed, documented, and coded by task category using a PCP task list. Variations in the sequence and prevalence of tasks at each stage of the primary care visit were assessed considering the physician, the patient, the visit’s progression, and the presence of an electronic health record (EHR) at the clinic. Results PCP workflow during patient visits varies significantly, even for an individual physician, with no single or even common workflow pattern being present. The prevalence of specific tasks shifts significantly as primary care visits progress to their conclusion but, notably, PCPs collect patient information throughout the visit. Discussion PCP workflows were unpredictable during face-to-face patient visits. Workflow emerges as the result of a “dance” between physician and patient as their separate agendas are addressed, a side effect of patient-centered practice. Conclusions Future healthcare redesigns should support a wide variety of task sequences to deliver high-quality primary care. The development of tools such as electronic health records must be based on the realities of primary care visits if they are to successfully support a PCP’s mental and physical work, resulting in effective, safe, and efficient primary care.

A review of the benefits and limitations of a primary care-embedded psychiatric consultation service in a medically underserved setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 415-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis J Butler ◽  
Dominique Fons ◽  
Travis Fisher ◽  
James Sanders ◽  
Sara Bodenhamer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Primary Care Physician ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Care Physician ◽  
Psychiatric Education ◽  
Psychiatric Consultation ◽  
Consultation Service ◽  
Practice Parameters ◽  
The Impact

A significant percentage of patients with psychiatric disorders are exclusively seen for health-care services by primary care physicians. To address the mental health needs of such patients, collaborative models of care were developed including the embedded psychiatry consult model which places a consultant psychiatrist on-site to assist the primary care physician to recognize psychiatric disorders, prescribe psychiatric medication, and develop management strategies. Outcome studies have produced ambiguous and inconsistent findings regarding the impact of this model. This review examines a primary care-embedded psychiatric consultation service in place for nine years in a family medicine residency program. Psychiatric consultants, family physicians, and residents actively involved in the service participated in structured interviews designed to identify the clinical and educational value of the service. The benefits and limitations identified were then categorized into physician, consultant, patient, and systems factors. Among the challenges identified were inconsistent patient appointment-keeping, ambiguity about appropriate referrals, consultant scope-of-practice parameters, and delayed follow-up with consultation recommendations. Improved psychiatric education for primary care physicians also appeared to shift referrals toward more complex patients. The benefits identified included the availability of psychiatric services to underserved and disenfranchised patients, increased primary care physician comfort with medication management, and improved interprofessional communication and education. The integration of the service into the clinic fostered the development of a more psychologically minded practice. While highly valued by respondents, potential benefits of the service were limited by residency-specific factors including consultant availability and the high ratio of primary care physicians to consultants.

scholarly journals Dermatologists’ perceptions on the utility and limitations of teledermatology after examining 55,000 lesions

2019 ◽  
pp. 1357633X1986482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara Giavina Bianchi ◽  
Andre Santos ◽  
Eduardo Cordioli
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Analytical Study ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Software Platform ◽  
Malignant Tumours ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Pigmentary Disorders ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Skin Conditions

Introduction Few studies have assessed the perception of teledermatologists about the utility and limitations of teledermatology, especially to diagnose a broad range of skin diseases. This study aimed to evaluate dermatologists’ confidence in teledermatology, its utility and limitations for dermatological conditions in primary care. Methods An analytical study that used a survey for dermatologists who diagnosed 30,916 patients with 55,012 lesions through teledermatology during a 1-year project in São Paulo, Brazil. Results Dermatologists found teledermatology useful for triage and diagnosis, especially for xerotic eczema, pigmentary disorders and superficial infections. Their confidence in teledermatology was statistically higher by the end of the project ( p = 0.0012). Limitations included some technical issues and the impossibility to suggest how soon the patient should be assisted face-to-face by a dermatologist. The most treatable group of diseases by teledermatology was superficial infections (92%). The use of dermoscopy images would significantly increase the confidence to treat atypical naevi and malign tumours ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0003 respectively). Follow-ups by teledermatology or feedback from primary-care physicians would be desirable, according to the dermatologists. Discussion We found it interesting that dermatologists became increasingly confident in teledermatology after the project and how they classified teledermatology as useful for triage, diagnosis and even treatment of most types of skin conditions followed at primary care. Dermoscopy should definitely be added to the photographs, especially for malignant tumours and atypical naevi. Most of the technical limitations found could be solved with a few improvements in the software/platform.

scholarly journals What Does the Chinese Public Care About with Regard to Primary Care Physicians: Trustworthiness or Competence?

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Zhu ◽  
Cao
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Community Health Centers ◽  
Clinical Medicine ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Public Care ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Ease Of Access ◽  
Trust In Physicians

Background and Objective: China has launched a series of reforms to enhance primary care. The aims of these reforms are to strengthen the functionality of primary care to encourage patients to use primary care. Patients’ trust in physicians is important in clinical medicine; however, little is known about how Chinese patients’ preferences relate to their trust in primary care physicians. This study’s objectives are to measure the Chinese public’s trust in primary care physicians and to characterize reasons of their preferences for health care. Materials and Methods: This quantitative study comprises a face-to-face survey with a convenience sample (n = 273) of people visiting community health centers or stations (CHCSs) in Wuhan, China. We measured the patients’ preferences for the different level of hospitals and their trust in physicians, as well as the reasons of the patients’ preferences, using a Chinese version of the Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale and other variables (such as demographics, health status, and hospital preference). Results: Approximately two thirds (68.6%) of the participants had experienced a mild or chronic disease in the year before the survey, but only 26.4% preferred to visit CHCSs in such cases. The negative factors related to this lack of preference are the physicians’ competence (odds ratio [OR] = 0.250), the medical equipment (OR = 0.301), and the popularity of hospitals (OR = 0.172). The positive factors were ease of access (OR = 2.218) and affordability (OR = 1.900). The participants expressed a moderate trust in physicians in CHCSs (score of 3.02 out of 5). There is no association between the patients’ trust and their hospital preference (r = 0.019, p = 0.859). Of the participants, 92 suggested that the physicians in CHCSs should improve in terms of their competence (n = 53), attitude (n = 35), and/or medical ethics (n = 16). Conclusions: This study’s results suggest that patients consider improving physicians’ competence to be more important and urgent than improving those physicians’ trustworthiness in terms of reconstructing Chinese primary care. Improving the physicians’ competence would not only reduce the barriers that patients experience regarding CHCSs, but would also increase their trust in the physicians.

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