No struggle, no progress: Taking the anti-racism conversation to a deeper level.

In order to promote ongoing dialogues about how to address racism in health care, the 2021 Forum on Behavioral Science included a workshop on how to take antiracism activities and conversations to a deeper level than what is typically offered. The workshop followed up on a previous antiracism plenary presentation at the 2020 Forum and was intentionally created to keep the importance of antiracism efforts on the forefront of behavioral science and medical education. The currently described presentation provided some background on how health inequity evolved in the United States. It also included information on the role that racism has played in the development of inequities in health care, the profession of medicine and medical education. Presenters included several activities specifically chosen to promote honest, open conversations about power imbalances that promote discrimination on the micro and macrosystem level. Participants were encouraged to start working on specific goals and ideas on how to conduct these activities and challenging conversations in their home institutions.

Evidence based opioid weaning with behavioral support - Forum for Behavioral Science Edition.

Nationally published guidelines state that many patients prescribed chronic opioids would benefit from gradually reducing and/or eliminating their use of these medications. This is easier said than done. Patients are often resistant or fearful, physicians are often uncomfortable prescribing an opioid taper, and patients often do not get the needed behavioral health support in this process. It is critical to develop a comprehensive behavioral and medical plan, however the field lacks practical approaches to guide physicians (and patients) through this challenge. In this manuscript our team of primary care providers and behaviorists walk through a case involving complex opioid weaning in a Family Medicine residency clinic environment. Through the lens of our patient's case, we will discuss best practices for getting patient buy-in, opioid weaning strategies, behavioral support during the wean, identifying co-morbid opioid use disorders, and deciding on acceptable end points for the taper.

Racism and persistent disparities: Difficult conversations on the road to equity.

The convergence of the major social events of the COVID 19 epidemic and the racial protests around the George Floyd killing spurred many conversations and calls to action for racial justice. The Behavioral Science Forum of 2020 invited a plenary presentation to discuss guidelines for medical education institutions to improve their anti-racism curricula. The plenary aimed to put forward the personal experiences of family medicine faculty contributing to dismantling racism in their institutions. Presenters provided (1) a breakdown of the step by step process of addressing these issues with faculty, residents, and staff, (2) guidelines for improving recruitment and retention of diverse student populations, and (3) small group breakouts and a subsequent discussion forum for participants to bring their experiences into the conversation and develop their personal call to action. The wrap-up discussion and "Zoom chat" yielded emotional responses and specific ideas for participants and other faculty in medical education to do their part in developing anti-racism curricula.

How telehealth can work best for our patients.

A hybrid model of care embracing office visits and remote consultations may provide the benefits and curtail the disadvantages of both.