Do health care providers discuss HIV with older female patients?

Objectives Indian Health Service (IHS) screening rates for Chlamydia trachomatis are lower than national rates of chlamydia screening in the Southwest. We describe and evaluate the effect of a public health intervention consisting of electronic health record (EHR) reminders to alert health care providers to screen for chlamydia at an IHS facility. We also conducted an awareness presentation among health care providers on chlamydia screening. Methods We conducted our intervention from November 1, 2013, through October 31, 2015, at an IHS facility in the Southwest. We implemented algorithms that queried database values to assess chlamydia screening performance in 6 clinical departments. We presented data on the screening performance of clinical departments and health care providers (de-identified) in the awareness presentations. We re-queried database values 1 and 2 years after implementation of the EHR reminder intervention to evaluate before-and-after screening rates, comparing data among all patients and among female patients only. Results We found small, sustained relative increases in chlamydia screening rates during the 2012-2015 evaluation period: 20.8% pre-intervention to 24.9% and 24.2% one and two years postintervention, respectively, across all patients; 32.3% preintervention to 36.6% and 35.6% one and two years postintervention, respectively, among female patients. Increases in clinical department–specific screening rates varied and were most prominent in internal medicine (35.8% preintervention to peak 65.8% postintervention). The 1 clinic (obstetrics–gynecology) that did not receive an awareness presentation showed a consistent downward trend in screening rates, although absolute rates were consistently higher in that clinic than in other clinics. Conclusions Awareness presentations that offer feedback to health care providers on screening performance, heighten provider awareness of the importance of chlamydia screening, and promote development of novel provider-initiated screening protocols may help to increase screening rates when combined with EHR reminders.

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Knowing Your Pharmacist's Name

INNOVATIONS in pharmacy ◽

10.24926/iip.v6i3.393 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Dragic ◽

Vivan Pham ◽

Albert Wertheimer

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

General Public ◽

Care Providers ◽

Female Patients ◽

Effective Use

Pharmacists are the most accessible health care providers to the general public. Pharmacists are experts in helping patients get the most out of today’s complicated medications. Pharmacists ensure safe and effective use of medications. The American Pharmacists Association pitched a campaign, “Know your medicine, know your pharmacist.” Before one can know their medicine, one must know their pharmacist. This study was conducted to see whether older or younger and male verse female patients knew their pharmacist’s name better in the Philadelphia area, as a pilot study. Type: Commentary

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Malpractice & Negligence: Cal. Supreme Court Clarifies Negligence Provisions under State’s Elder Abuse Act

The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics ◽

10.1017/s1073110500012973 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 203-203

Author(s):

Kendra Carlson

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Supreme Court ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Elder Abuse ◽

Skilled Nursing Facility ◽

Pressure Sores ◽

Care Providers ◽

Nursing Facility ◽

Skilled Nursing ◽

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of California held, in Delaney v. Baker, 82 Cal. Rptr. 2d 610 (1999), that the heightened remedies available under the Elder Abuse Act (Act), Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 15657,15657.2 (West 1998), apply to health care providers who engage in reckless neglect of an elder adult. The court interpreted two sections of the Act: (1) section 15657, which provides for enhanced remedies for reckless neglect; and (2) section 15657.2, which limits recovery for actions based on “professional negligence.” The court held that reckless neglect is distinct from professional negligence and therefore the restrictions on remedies against health care providers for professional negligence are inapplicable.Kay Delaney sued Meadowood, a skilled nursing facility (SNF), after a resident, her mother, died. Evidence at trial indicated that Rose Wallien, the decedent, was left lying in her own urine and feces for extended periods of time and had stage I11 and IV pressure sores on her ankles, feet, and buttocks at the time of her death.

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Using Technology to Improve Access to Health Care for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations

Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations ◽

10.1044/cds19.3.71 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 71-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pauline A. Mashima

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Access To Health Care ◽

Underserved Populations ◽

Linguistically Diverse ◽

Care Providers ◽

Department Of Health ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Access To Health ◽

Improve Access

Important initiatives in health care include (a) improving access to services for disadvantaged populations, (b) providing equal access for individuals with limited or non-English proficiency, and (c) ensuring cultural competence of health-care providers to facilitate effective services for individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, 2001). This article provides a brief overview of the use of technology by speech-language pathologists and audiologists to extend their services to underserved populations who live in remote geographic areas, or when cultural and linguistic differences impact service delivery.

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Interdisciplinary Therapy Assessments for the Older Adult

Perspectives on Gerontology ◽

10.1044/gero17.1.11 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 11-16

Author(s):

Lynn Chatfield ◽

Sandra Christos ◽

Michael McGregor

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Care ◽

Standardized Testing ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Outcome Measurement ◽

Care Providers ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Screening Process ◽

Evidenced Based ◽

Changing Economy

In a changing economy and a changing industry, health care providers need to complete thorough, comprehensive, and efficient assessments that provide both an accurate depiction of the patient's deficits and a blueprint to the path of treatment for older adults. Through standardized testing and observations as well as the goals and evidenced-based treatment plans we have devised, health care providers can maximize outcomes and the functional levels of patients. In this article, we review an interdisciplinary assessment that involves speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and respiratory therapy to work with older adults in health care settings. Using the approach, we will examine the benefits of collaboration between disciplines, an interdisciplinary screening process, and the importance of sharing information from comprehensive discipline-specific evaluations. We also will discuss the importance of having an understanding of the varied scopes of practice, the utilization of outcome measurement tools, and a patient-centered assessment approach to care.

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