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December 4, 2012

Top Story

Free tool helps physicians engage patients in decision-making
The National eHealth Collaborative's Patient Engagement Framework is free to physicians to help them use health IT to engage patients in the health care decision-making process. The framework uses phases for moving toward patient-centered care and includes increasingly sophisticated patient tools, from printed forms to interoperable collaborative care records. AAFP News Now (12/3)

Clinical News

CDC warns of early, severe flu season
CDC officials announced Monday that the 2012-13 flu season has started nearly a month earlier than expected, with influenza A(H3N2) being this year's dominant strain, and they said this could be a bad year for flu. However, the influenza vaccine this year is a 90% match for the samples examined by the agency, officials said. "My advice is: Get the vaccine now," said infectious diseases specialist Dr. James Steinberg of Emory University. The Boston Globe/The Associated Press(tiered subscription model) (12/4) , Family Practice News (12/3)

Diet can reduce risk of cardiac events, study says
A study on the website of the journal Circulation says eating a heart-healthy diet can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke for those with heart disease. Samantha Heller of the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in Connecticut says many people with heart disease mistakenly believe medications will solve their problems, so they have a "false sense of protection and security." HealthDay News (12/3)

Adequate vitamin D may protect women from mental decline
Two studies in the Journal of Gerontology showed a significant link between vitamin D intake and women's cognitive health. Women with low vitamin D levels were more at risk for cognitive decline compared with those who had enough vitamin D, according to one study. Meanwhile, French researchers found that women with Alzheimer's disease were more likely to have had low vitamin D intake than women who didn't develop the disease. MedicalDaily.com (12/3)

Antidepressant use may curb frequency of epileptic seizures
Taking antidepressants improved the mood and anxiety levels of depressed people with epilepsy and reduced the occurrence of seizures, a study found. Researchers monitored the outcomes of 100 patients on either selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and found that 86% of them reported improvements in symptoms. The findings were presented at the American Epilepsy Society meeting. HealthDay News (12/3)

Practice Management

Survey explores physicians' use of mobile devices, websites
According to a comScore study evaluating physicians' Web and device use, electronic medical records saw the greatest number of visits per site and the longest duration of use compared with other websites for health care professionals. Researchers also found that tablet computers are gaining prominence, with 44% of physicians using the devices and a majority saying they prefer using the devices over mobile phones. EHR Intelligence (12/3)

Health Policy & Legislation

Government releases 3 proposed rules to move ACA forward
The government has issued proposed rules to implement parts of the Affordable Care Act that will ban insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing or chronic conditions, establish essential health benefits to help patients compare health plans and encourage employer-based wellness programs. AAFP President Jeff Cain, M.D., said the rules will have an immediate impact on primary care physicians when they take effect in 2014. AAFP News Now (12/3)

HHS touts $5.1B in prescription drug savings
More than 5.8 million Medicare patients have saved more than $5 billion on prescription drugs since the Affordable Care Act's passage in 2010, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. The savings mean that more people are taking their medications, cutting long-term medical costs, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Sebelius' statement was timed to highlight the last week of Medicare open enrollment, which wraps up on Friday. USA Today (12/3) , BenefitsPro.com (12/3)

Professional Issues & Trends

Neb. study shows need for more family physicians
There are 30% fewer primary care physicians in Nebraska than reported by the American Medical Association, and the state will need 1,685 doctors -- 275 more than its current workforce of 1,410 family physicians -- to meet the demands of health care reform, according to a study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The study found that 11 rural counties in the state do not have any primary care physicians. WOWT-TV (Omaha, Neb.) (12/3)

Inside the AAFP

Don't miss out on this valuable self-study CME option
If you're not subscribing to FP Essentials, you're missing out on this month's edition, "Laboratory Test Update." Available only via a monthly subscription -- in print and online -- FP Essentials allows subscribers to earn up to 60 AAFP Prescribed credits per year. Each edition covers one topic in a multi-year family medicine curriculum. Enhance your clinical knowledge, earn CME credit, and prepare for the ABFM board exam ... all at the same time.

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