Evaluación quinquenal de los ejes sanitarios de un programa nacional de Atención Primaria de la Salud / Five-year evaluation of the sanitary axes of a national program of Primary Health Care

Se realizó una evaluación quinquenal de los ejes sanitarios (que dan lugar a objetivos estratégicos con sus correspondientes metas e indicadores, áreas de intervención y líneas de acción) dentro del marco de la gestión sanitaria de uno de los 10 principales agentes de la seguridad social argentinos quien implementaba desde hacía 20 años un Programa Nacional de Atención Primaria de la Salud (PNAPS). El mismo promedió alrededor de 800 mil beneficiarios anuales dentro de una red asistencial nacional propia en el primer nivel de atención compuesta por 45 Centros de Atención Primaria (CAPs). Se implementó una investigación evaluativa que incluyó un trazado de línea de base con la valoración de cinco Ejes Sanitarios (ES). Se trata de un diseño de corte transversal de un periodo de 5 años. Se definieron metas, indicadores y recomendaciones para cada uno de los ES, recopilando información de fuentes diferentes y complementarias para su análisis. Los resultados mostraron una evolución favorable en el período evaluado, aunque el cumplimiento de las metas estuvo bastante alejado de lo propuesto de manera teórica. Conclusiones: este trabajo aporta información valiosa y original para subsidiar la toma de decisiones e incentivar la investigación en el ámbito de la APS, buscando reformular los actuales modelos de gestión y de atención de la salud (AU)

A five-year evaluation of the health axes (which give rise to strategic objectives with their corresponding goals and indicators, areas of intervention and lines of action) was carried out within the framework of health management of one of the 10 main argentine social security agents who had been implementing a National Primary Health Care Program (PNAPS) for 20 years. It averaged around 800,000 annual beneficiaries within its own national care network at the first level of care made up of 45 Primary Care Centers (CAPs). An evaluative investigation was implemented that included a baseline drawing with the assessment of five Sanitary Axis (ES). It is a cross-sectional design of a period of 5 years. Goals, indicators and recommendations were defined for each of the ES, collecting information from different and complementary sources for analysis. Results: they showed a favorable evolution in the period evaluated, although the fulfillment of the goals was quite far from what was theoretically proposed. The results of this work provides valuable and original information to support decision-making and encourage research in the field of PHC, seeking to reformulate current management and health care models (AU)

Cannabis Essentials: Tools for Clinical Practice.

Cannabis use in the United States is increasing annually in people of all ages. This increase is fueled by state-level legalization, decreased risk perception, and increased social acceptability. Cannabis and its active components, cannabinoids, have been studied for medical uses and marketed in many commercial forms. Cannabis can impair short-term memory, judgment, and coordination, and there is substantial evidence that it can adversely affect multiple organ systems. Cannabinoids have potential adverse drug interactions with commonly prescribed analgesic, psychotropic, and cardiovascular medications. Current evidence supports cannabinoid use only for a limited number of conditions (chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, specific pain and spasticity syndromes, and certain forms of childhood epilepsy); thus, physicians recommending cannabinoids need to weigh the potential harms vs. perceived benefits. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends universal screening for unhealthy drug use, including cannabis, in adults 18 years and older. However, the American Academy of Family Physicians does not support this recommendation because of the lack of evidence of benefit in screening patients for unhealthy drug use, except for opioid use disorder. Treatment of cannabis use disorder is largely behavioral and requires a patient-centered, multifaceted approach with a focus on patient education. Pharmacotherapy for cannabis use disorder is limited and experimental. Harm reduction strategies and education about cannabis withdrawal syndrome should be provided to patients. Interpretation of urine drug testing for cannabis is challenging because of the persistence of metabolites for four to five days after a single use and for one month after chronic daily use.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Dermatology Practice Changes.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dermatology practice cannot be overstated. At its peak, the pandemic resulted in the temporary closure of ambulatory sites as resources were reallocated towards pandemic response efforts. Many outpatient clinics have since reopened and are beginning to experience a semblance of pre-pandemic routine, albeit with restrictions in place. We provide an overview of how COVID-19 has affected dermatology practice globally beginning with the rise of teledermatology. A summary of expert recommendations that shape the "new normal" in various domains of dermatology practice, namely, dermatology consultation, procedural dermatology, and phototherapy, is also provided.

Primary care teams' experiences of delivering mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Integrated primary care teams are ideally positioned to support the mental health care needs arising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how COVID-19 has affected mental health care delivery within primary care settings will be critical to inform future policy and practice decisions during the later phases of the pandemic and beyond. The objective of our study was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams' delivery of mental health care. METHODS: A qualitative study using focus groups conducted with primary care teams in Ontario, Canada. Focus group data was analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: We conducted 11 focus groups with 10 primary care teams and a total of 48 participants. With respect to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health care in primary care teams, we identified three key themes: i) the high demand for mental health care, ii) the rapid transformation to virtual care, and iii) the impact on providers. CONCLUSIONS: From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care quickly responded to the rising mental health care demands of their patients. Despite the numerous challenges they faced with the rapid transition to virtual care, primary care teams have persevered. It is essential that policy and decision-makers take note of the toll that these demands have placed on providers. There is an immediate need to enhance primary care's capacity for mental health care for the duration of the pandemic and beyond.

Uniting Public Health and Primary Care for Healthy Communities in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has laid bare the dis-integrated health care system in the United States. Decades of inattention and dwindling support for public health, coupled with declining access to primary care medical services have left many vulnerable communities without adequate COVID-19 response and recovery capacity. "Health is a Community Affair" is a 1966 effort to build and deploy local communities of solution that align public health, primary care, and community organizations to identify health care problem sheds, and activate local asset sheds. After decades of independent effort, the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to reunite and align the shared goals of public health and primary care. Imagine how different things might look if we had widely implemented the recommendations from the 1966 report? The ideas and concepts laid out in "Health is a Community Affair" still offer a COVID-19 response and recovery approach. By bringing public health and primary care together in community now, a future that includes a shared vision and combined effort may emerge.

1º Relatório de monitoramento e avaliação da estratégia de saúde digital para o Brasil: 2020-2028 [recurso eletrônico] / 1º Brazilian national digital health strategy: 2020-2028 [eletronic resource]

Este documento, apreciado e aprovado na 38ª Reunião Ordinária do CGESD, em 6 de novembro de 2020, apresenta o primeiro relatório de monitoramento e avaliação da Estratégia de Saúde Digital para o Brasil 2020-2028 (ESD28) (BRASIL, 2020a). O relatório tem o objetivo de identificar e propor os recursos organizacionais e operacionais para que este instrumento-chave de Monitoramento e Avaliação de Saúde Digital tenha periodicidade semestral e cumpra os propósitos definidos na ESD28

This document, appraised and approved in the 38th Ordinary Meeting of CGESD, on November 6th, 2020, introduces the first Brazilian National Digital Health Strategy 2020-2028 monitoring and evaluation report (ESD28) (BRASIL, 2020a). The report aims to and propose the organizational and operational resources so this key Digital Health monitoring and evaluation instrument has biannual periodicity and meets the purposes defined in the ESD28

Experiências de médicos brasileiros em seus primeiros meses na Atenção Primária à Saúde na Terra Indígena Yanomami / Experiencias de médicos brasileños en sus primeros meses en la Atención Primaria de la Salud en la Tierra Indígena Yanomami / Experiences of Brazilian doctors in their first months of Primary Health Care in the Yanomami Indigenous Land

O Programa Mais Médicos ampliou o acesso à assistência médica nos contextos indígenas brasileiros, como na Terra Yanomami (TY). Até novembro de 2018, na TY havia exclusivamente médicos cubanos, quando foram substituídos por brasileiros. Esta pesquisa qualitativa buscou compreender as experiências desses médicos brasileiros em seus primeiros meses de trabalho. Realizou-se análise temática dos conteúdos provenientes de entrevistas semiestruturadas, tendo como fio condutor os princípios da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) e como referenciais teóricos o saber da experiência e as políticas de saúde indígena. Emergiram três categorias relacionadas ao cuidado em saúde indígena: processo de trabalho, encontro entre culturas e formação médica. As experiências mostraram-se complexas e heterogêneas, com demonstração de satisfação e aprendizados. Conclui-se que o cuidado em saúde indígena demanda um olhar singular e diferenciado para os princípios da APS, devendo-se construir competências para atuação médica nesse contexto. (AU)

El Programa Más Médicos amplió el acceso a la asistencia médica en los contextos indígenas brasileños, como en la Tierra Yanomami (TY). Hasta noviembre de 2018, en la TY había exclusivamente médicos cubanos, cuando fueron substituidos por brasileños. La investigación cualitativa buscó comprender la experiencia de esos médicos brasileños en sus primeros meses de trabajo. Se realizó un análisis temático de los contenidos provenientes de entrevistas semiestructuradas, teniendo como hilo conductor los principios de la Atención Primaria de la Salud (APS) y como referenciales teóricos el saber de la experiencia y las políticas de salud indígena. Surgieron tres categorías relacionadas al cuidado en salud indígena: proceso de trabajo, encuentro entre culturas y formación médica. La experiencia se mostró compleja y heterogénea, con demostración de satisfacción y aprendizaje. Se concluyó que el cuidado en salud indígena demanda una mirada singular y diferenciada para los principios de la APS, siendo necesario construir competencias para la actuación médica en ese contexto. (AU)

The More Doctors Program expanded access to medical care in the Brazilian indigenous contexts, as in the Yanomami Land (TY). This qualitative research sought to understand the experience of the Brazilian doctors in the TY in their first months of work since November 2018. The research conducted a thematic analysis of the contents from semi-structured interviews, having as its common thread the principles of Primary Health Care (PHC) and as theoretical frameworks, experiential knowledge and indigenous health policies. Three categories related to indigenous health care emerged: work process; encounter between cultures; medical training. The experience proved to be complex and heterogeneous, demonstrating satisfaction and learning. The study concludes that indigenous health care demands a singular and differentiated outlook at the principles of PHC, and that competencies for medical practice in this context must be built. (AU)

Addressing Nutritional Gaps: Simple Steps for the Primary Care Provider.

Identify common shortfalls in the typical American diet. Address the link between poor diet quality and chronic disease. Identify patients at risk for vitamin deficiency and potential vitamin-drug interactions. Recognize patients with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Partner with patients regarding selection and appropriate use of vitamin and mineral supplements to achieve recommended dietary allowances.

Four innovations: A robust integrated behavioral health program in pediatric primary care.

The increase in behavioral health problems presenting in pediatric primary care (PPC) has led to a greater focus on the prevention and treatment of mental health concerns. As a result, care has shifted from colocation to integrated PPC models. However, the literature provides limited guidance on the development and implementation of integrated PPC models that aim to transform both PPC and the larger health care system. We developed an integrated behavioral health (IBH) approach modeled with fidelity to the Integrated Practice Assessment Tool to fully integrate behavioral health into PPC. Over the 4 years since the application of our model, we have been successful in the development of an integration process and model for practice transformation of an urban PPC center and the spread and scale of IBH services to 2 additional clinics. Four elements combine to make our integrated behavioral health program novel: (a) clear mission and vision, (b) provision of universal prevention services, (c) continuous quality improvement, and (d) emphasis on practice and systems transformation. Trends in practice and scholarly inquiry indicate the need for robust pediatric IBH models, with a clear mission and vision; articulation of how research informs the development and implementation of the model; and infrastructure to meaningfully examine the model's impact. Cognizant of these needs, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center developed an IBH program. We provide key learnings for IBH program development, PPC transformation, and innovative systems redesign. We describe these elements and make recommendations for future research and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between integrated pediatric psychology and primary care visit length, revenue, content over 24 months.

Introduction: Integrating behavioral health providers into pediatric primary care to provide behavioral health (BH) services is both effective and efficient; however, the impact of pediatric integrated services on the operational and financial outcomes of primary care provider (PCP) visits has not been thoroughly investigated. The present study examined whether length of practice integration predicts the relationship between BH content addressed in a PCP visit, visit length, and revenue generation. Method: A total of 1,209 pediatric encounters with 25 PCPs across 7 primary care offices in a predominantly rural health system were abstracted for the presence or absence of BH content, visit length, duration of integration, and revenue. χ2 analyses and the generalized linear model framework were used to address the study objectives. Results: Integration was associated with more PCP visits with a BH topic discussed at 6-11 months of integration but not at 14-24 months. Visits with a BH topic were longer than medical-only visits and shorter when a practice was integrated for 6-11 months but not at 14-24 months of integration. Public insurance and integration were associated with lower revenue generation per minute. Visit content was not associated with PCP revenue. Discussion: Results suggest a relationship between integration and the operational and financial outcomes of PCP visits. This study shows that initial efficiencies or improvements (e.g., time, cost, content) associated with integrating BH may be lost over time. Future studies should evaluate sustainability in relation to program impact. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Vaccination as a scheduled demand: a day in the life of users.

OBJECTIVES: to understand vaccination as a scheduled demand and access to this demand in a day in the life of health services, from the perspective of users. METHODS: holistic-qualitative multiple case study, based on the Quotidian Comprehensive Sociology, with 74 users from four health microregions of the Extended Western Region of Minas Gerais State. RESULTS: scheduling vaccination demand in a day in the life of services is compromised by the fragility in data record, by computerized systems underutilization and by the loss of the immunization tracking card, resulting in missed opportunities of immunization and unnecessary revaccinations. The Primary Health Care team's non-involvement also compromised access to this action. Final Considerations: there is a need for more effort to be dispensed with for the effective use of computerized systems and Permanent Education of professionals in order to take advantage of all the opportunities of orientations and referrals of users to the vaccination room.

The Contribution of Family Medicine and Family Medicine Leaders to Primary Health Care Development in Americas - from Alma-Ata to Astana and beyond.

Since 2012, the Besrour Centre for Global Family Medicine at the College of Family Physician of Canada has brought together its partners from the Americas annually, to reflect on the evolution of Family Medicine on the continent since Alma-Ata, and to look forward to future challenges. Family doctors are but one element of a strong health system. Family Medicine provides key ingredients to respond to population health needs especially as countries move through the epidemiological transition to face larger burdens of chronic disease and multimorbidity. In this paper, we provide a high-level overview of the state of Family Medicine on the continent. We then analyze trends in the education of family physicians to face this changing landscape, including the emphasis on the leader role of future family physicians. Postgraduate programs in Family Medicine in the Americas are placing increasing emphasis on teaching collaborative care in view of creating truly interdisciplinary health teams for the benefit of patients.

The Contribution of Family Medicine and Family Medicine Leaders to Primary Health Care Development in Americas - from Alma-Ata to Astana and beyond / A contribuição da Medicina de Família e dos líderes em Medicina de Família para o desenvolvimento da Atenção Primária à Saúde nas Américas - de Alma-Ata à Astana e além

Abstract Since 2012, the Besrour Centre for Global Family Medicine at the College of Family Physician of Canada has brought together its partners from the Americas annually, to reflect on the evolution of Family Medicine on the continent since Alma-Ata, and to look forward to future challenges. Family doctors are but one element of a strong health system. Family Medicine provides key ingredients to respond to population health needs especially as countries move through the epidemiological transition to face larger burdens of chronic disease and multimorbidity. In this paper, we provide a high-level overview of the state of Family Medicine on the continent. We then analyze trends in the education of family physicians to face this changing landscape, including the emphasis on the leader role of future family physicians. Postgraduate programs in Family Medicine in the Americas are placing increasing emphasis on teaching collaborative care in view of creating truly interdisciplinary health teams for the benefit of patients.

Resumo Desde 2012, o Centro Besrour de Medicina Global de Família, na Faculdade de Medicina de Família do Canadá, reúne seus parceiros das Américas anualmente para refletir sobre a evolução da Medicina de Família no continente desde Alma-Ata e para os desafios futuros. Os médicos de família são apenas um elemento de um forte sistema de saúde. A Medicina de Família fornece ingredientes-chave para responder às necessidades de saúde da população, especialmente à medida em que os países passam pela transição epidemiológica para enfrentar um fardo maior de doenças crônicas e de multimorbidade. Neste artigo, fornecemos uma visão geral de alto nível do estado da Medicina de Família no continente. Em seguida, analisamos as tendências na educação dos médicos de família para enfrentar esse cenário em mudança, incluindo a ênfase no papel de líder dos futuros médicos de família. Os programas de pós-graduação em Medicina de Família nas Américas estão enfatizando cada vez mais o ensino do cuidado colaborativo, a fim de criar equipes de saúde verdadeiramente interdisciplinares para o benefício dos pacientes.

Facilitators and barriers to the self-management of COPD: a qualitative study from rural Nepal.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the facilitators and barriers to the self-management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in rural Nepal. SETTINGS: Community and primary care centres in rural Nepal. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 14 participants (10 people with COPD and 4 health care providers) were interviewed. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: People with COPD and healthcare provider's experience of COPD self-management in rural Nepal. RESULTS: Facilitators and barriers affecting COPD self-management in Nepal operated at the patient-family, community and service provider levels. People with COPD were found to have a limited understanding of COPD and medications. Some participants reported receiving inadequate family support and described poor emotional health. At the community level, widespread use of complementary and alternative treatment was found to be driven by social networks and was used instead of western medicine. There were limited quality controls in place to monitor the safe use of alternative treatment. While a number of service level factors were identified by all participants, the pertinent concerns were the levels of trust and respect between doctors and their patients. Service level factors included patients' demands for doctor time and attention, limited confidence of people with COPD in communicating confidently and openly with their doctor, limited skills and expertise of the doctors in promoting behavioural change, frustration with doctors prescribing too many medicines and the length of time to diagnose the disease. These service level factors were underpinned by resource constraints operating in rural areas. These included inadequate infrastructure and resources, limited skills of primary level providers and lack of educational materials for COPD. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest the need for a more integrated model of care with multiple strategies targeting all three levels in order to improve the self-management practices among people with COPD.

[General Practice: continuously developing]. / Huisartsgeneeskunde: continu in ontwikkeling.

Over the past 10 years there have been significant developments in general practice regarding diagnostics, differentiation of competences of general practitioners, cooperation within primary care and with secondary care, task delegation and patient information provision. Less progress has been made in other areas: E-health applications are rarely used, and there is no clear guideline for an integrated policy in patients with multimorbidity. General practitioners also continue to suffer from excessive regulatory pressure, excessive protocols and standardization. In the coming decade, GPs will continue to work in accordance with the core values ​​of their profession: 'person-oriented', 'medical-generalist', 'continuous' and 'jointly'. Their function to provide guidance is becoming increasingly important. In addition, more diagnostics and treatment will take place at the interface between general practice and secondary care. Chronic care will focus more on the needs and wishes of the individual patient. GPs retain their important role in terminal palliative care and emergency care.

Vitamin D prescribing in children in UK primary care practices: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine temporal changes in the incidence and patterns of vitamin D supplementation prescribing by general practitioners (GPs) between 2008 and 2016. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING: UK general practice health records from The Health Improvement Network. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 0 to 17 years who were registered with their general practices for at least 3 months. OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual incidence rates of vitamin D prescriptions were calculated, and rate ratios were estimated using multivariable Poisson regression to explore differences by sociodemographic factors. Data on the type of supplementation, dose, dosing schedule, linked 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) laboratory test results and clinical symptoms suggestive of vitamin D deficiency were analysed. RESULTS: Among 2 million children, the crude annual incidence of vitamin D prescribing increased by 26-fold between 2008 and 2016 rising from 10.8 (95% CI: 8.9 to 13.1) to 276.8 (95% CI: 264.3 to 289.9) per 100 000 person-years. Older children, non-white ethnicity and general practices in England (compared with Wales/Scotland/Northern Ireland) were independently associated with higher rates of prescribing. Analyses of incident prescriptions showed inconsistent supplementation regimens with an absence of pre-supplementation 25(OH)D concentrations in 28.7% to 56.4% of prescriptions annually. There was an increasing trend in prescribing at pharmacological doses irrespective of 25(OH)D concentrations, deviating in part from UK recommendations. Prescribing at pharmacological doses for children with deficient status increased from 3.8% to 79.4%, but the rise was also observed in children for whom guidelines recommended prevention doses (0% to 53%). Vitamin D supplementation at pharmacological doses was also prescribed in at least 40% of children with no pre-supplementation 25(OH)D concentrations annually. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a marked and sustained increase in vitamin D supplementation prescribing in children in UK primary care. Our data suggests that national guidelines on vitamin D supplementation for children are not consistently followed by GPs.

Mental health in primary health care: health-disease according to health professionals / La salud mental en la atención primaria: el proceso salud-Enfermedad, según los profesionales de la salud / Saúde mental na atenção primária: processo saúde-doença, segundo profissionais de saúde

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze perceptions of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) professional team about mental health-disorder and to identify health actions developed by the team for people with mental disorders. Method: a qualitative study of a Marxist theoretical framework and a dialectical method. 99 FHS middle and higher level professionals from São Paulo participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were submitted to ALCESTE software and Thematic Content Analysis. Results: there were three empirical categories: Training in Mental Health; Perception of the FHS professional about mental health-disorder; and Health actions developed by the FHS team with people with mental disorders. Actions that converge and diverge from the psychosocial care model were identified. Final considerations: there is an effort from professionals to work according to the psychosocial care model, but it is necessary to invest in the Permanent Education in Health of these professionals to overcome barriers and foster successful territorial actions.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar las percepciones del equipo de profesionales de la Estrategia Salud de la Familia (ESF) acerca del proceso salud-enfermedad mental e identificar las acciones de salud desarrolladas por el equipo para las personas con trastorno mental. Método: estudio cualitativo, con referencial teórico marxista y método dialéctico. Participaron 99 profesionales de nivel medio y superior de la ESF, de la ciudad de São Paulo. Fueron realizadas entrevistas semiestructuradas, cuyos fueron sometidos al software ALCESTE y al Análisis de Contenido Temático. Resultados: se obtuvieron tres categorías empíricas: Entrenamiento en Salud Mental; Percepción del profesional de la ESF acerca del proceso de salud-enfermedad mental; y Acciones de salud desarrolladas por el equipo de ESF junto a las personas con trastorno mental. Se identificaron acciones que convergen y divergen del modelo de atención psicosocial. Consideraciones finales: hay un esfuerzo de los profesionales para trabajar de acuerdo con el modelo de atención psicosocial, pero hace necesario invertir en la educación permanente en salud de esos profesionales para superar barreras y fomentar acciones territoriales exitosas.

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar percepções da equipe de profissionais da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) sobre o processo saúde-doença mental e identificar ações de saúde desenvolvidas pela equipe para pessoas com transtorno mental. Método: estudo qualitativo, de referencial teórico marxicista e método dialético. Participaram 99 profissionais de nível médio e superior da ESF, município de São Paulo. Realizaram-se entrevistas semiestruturadas, cujos dados foram submetidos ao software ALCESTE e Análise de Conteúdo Temática. Resultados: obtiveram-se três categorias empíricas: Treinamento em Saúde Mental; Percepção do profissional da ESF sobre o processo saúde-doença mental; e Ações de saúde desenvolvidas pela equipe de ESF junto às pessoas com transtorno mental. Identificaram-se ações que convergem e divergem do modelo de atenção psicossocial. Considerações finais: há esforço dos profissionais para trabalhar de acordo com o modelo de atenção psicossocial, mas é necessário investir na Educação Permanente em Saúde desses profissionais para superar barreiras e fomentar ações territoriais exitosas.