Burnout Among South Dakota-Licensed Physicians.

INTRODUCTION: Physician well-being is a topic of increasing attention nationwide. In collaboration with the South Dakota Board of Osteopathic and Medical Examiners and the South Dakota State Medical Association, we undertook an anonymous, web-based survey of all licensed physicians to assess the current baseline level of physician burnout. METHODS: The survey consisted of demographic questions and a single, validated burnout question that correlates with the lengthier Maslach Burnout Index. A link to take the survey was emailed to all licensees by the Board, and a single reminder email and link was sent two weeks later. The collector was open for 4 weeks from date of the initial invitation. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the responses. RESULTS: There were 612 responses (10%). Overall 33.0% of responses were positive for burnout. Comparing subgroups divided by average work hours, practice size, community size, geographic location within the state, employment status, and specialty type, only those practicing primarily telemedicine demonstrated statistically significant lower prevalence of burnout (17%). Qualitative analysis identified themes that both increased risk and offered protection against burnout, including sense of control, availability of resources, relationships, and meaning in work. CONCLUSION: Burnout among physicians licensed by South Dakota is prevalent, though lower than the rate reported in most studies of physicians nationally. Apart from practicing primarily telemedicine, there was no correlation between burnout and practice characteristics, but provoking and palliating factors across practice types were identified that may offer potential areas for intervention to improve wellness.

Referral System Challenges of the Family Physician Program in Iran: A Systematic Review.

Background: Iran has implemented the Family Physician Program (FPP) in 2005 in 4 provinces. This program was supposed to be expanded across the country; however, it faced various challenges. Considering the impact of the referral system on the quality of the FPP implementation, different studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of this system. Therefore, this systematic review of the literature was conducted to investigate the challenges of the referral system of the FPP in Iran. Methods: All published original articles, reviews, or case studies published in English or Persian related to the challenges in the referral system FPP in Iran from 2011 to September 2022 were included in this study. International credible scholarly databases were searched. The search strategy was defined based on keywords and the search syntax. Results: Out of 3910 articles identified by the search strategy, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria and relevance of the study, and accreditation of the studies, 20 studies were included. The referral system suffers from different challenges in the areas associated with policy and planning, management, referral process, and health service recipients. Conclusion: The inefficient gatekeeping role of family physicians was one of the most important challenges of the referral system. The referral system should be improved by having evidence-based guidelines and policy documents, unified stewardship, integrated insurance schemes, and effective communication between different levels of care.

Improving Rates of Vitamin D Supplementation in Somali Immigrant Infants: A Prospective Interventional Pilot Trial.

PURPOSE: Rates of vitamin D deficiency and nutritional rickets have been rising over the past several decades, particularly in high-risk infants. This pilot study assessed the impact of providing free vitamin D supplements, a culturally-appropriate educational brochure, and a brief counseling session about the importance of both vitamin D supplementation and breastfeeding to the parents of Somali infants at routine office visits from newborn through 6 months of age at three Federally Qualified Health Centers in Colorado. We also assessed the impact this intervention had on rates of breastfeeding. METHODS: Twenty-five Somali infants aged 24 weeks or less were identified by searching electronic health records and enrolled into a historic control group. The parents were then surveyed by phone regarding breastfeeding and vitamin D supplementation. Subsequently, 37 families with newborn Somali infants were identified and enrolled into the intervention arm of the trial. RESULTS: The intervention group had a higher rate of vitamin D supplementation compared to the historical control group (67 vs. 48 percent, p=0.011) without significantly impacting breastfeeding rates. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a practical way to increase vitamin D status in this high-risk population. Trial not registered as it was a pilot study, not a phase II to IV prospective clinical trial.

Mothers in Medicine: Breastfeeding and the Healthcare Professional.

Breastfeeding mothers in the healthcare field face significant and unique challenges. This paper seeks to highlight many of these challenges and illustrate examples of systemic changes that can improve breastfeeding success. This is important, because there are many benefits of breastfeeding. From individual and system-wide cost savings to health benefits for mom, baby, and society, increased breastfeeding success within their workforce is a goal that healthcare systems should pursue.

Accountability in medical education from theory to practice Tabriz 2018 statement: A step towards the implementation of this social necessity.

Background: To implement the education reform package on accountability in medical education, the Education Development Center (EDC) of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences has held the first national conference on accountability in medical education, and the present statement is the result of scientific interactions and exchanges in the conference. Methods: For implementation of the accountability in medical education, there was a need to inform faculty members and other stakeholders about their responsibility in education and health care needs. The provision of such platform was provided by holding a specialized conference on accountability in medical education by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Steps of preparing the draft version of the Tabriz 2018 Statement were as follow: Formation the scientific committee; Division of the responsibility for drafting the statement between various workgroups; and Preparation and primary approval of the draft of Tabriz 2018 Statement. Results: Steps of preparing the draft version of the Tabriz 2018 Statement were: Formation of the scientific committee, Division of the responsibility for drafting the statement between the various workgroups and Preparation and primary approval of the draft of Tabriz 2018 Statement. Conclusion: Establishing an educational accreditation model and reviewing accreditation standards based on social accountability can be an effective step to strengthen accountability towards community needs.

Methods of Symptomatic Relief of Teething in Infants and Young Children Recommended by South Dakota Physicians.

Varieties of different methods for managing the symptoms of teething are available, and are of variable efficacy and safety. This study surveyed family physicians and pediatricians in the state of South Dakota to find out what they are recommending in their current clinical practices for the relief of symptoms associated with tooth eruption. The most common recommendation given by primary care physicians was acetaminophen or ibuprofen (80 percent). The next most common recommendation was the use of teething rings, both rubber (59 percent) and cold or frozen rings (67 percent). Nearly 20 percent recommended modalities that professional organizations and governmental agencies advise against using due to the potential for significant harm.

Family Physician Burnout Rates in Rural versus Metropolitan Areas: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: Physician burnout is prevalent in family physicians. Burnout has been associated with an intent to leave practice location. This is especially concerning in many rural areas, which already have physician shortages. While other demographic characteristics of burnout have been assessed, no previously published studies were found that have specifically compared family physician burnout rates in rural versus metropolitan areas. We hypothesized that rural family physicians have higher burnout rates due to increased practice demands and lack of resources. METHODS: Three hundred and two graduates of a Midwest family medicine residency program were surveyed to assess burnout rates in rural (practicing in towns less than 10,000 people) versus medium-sized towns (10,000- 50,000 people) and metropolitan areas (greater than 50,000 people). Burnout was determined by a one question assessment tool that has been validated with the Maslach Burnout Inventory Emotional Exhaustion Index. FINDINGS: Ninety-nine surveys were completed. Twenty-five percent of rural respondents reported burnout, compared to 37.5 percent of respondents in medium-sized towns, and 51.4 percent of respondents practicing in metropolitan areas. These results were statistically significant (p value=0.0183). CONCLUSION: These results were unexpected and may indicate that a rural practice location has a positive effect on physician well-being, which could encourage physicians to pursue rural practice. A larger study of this issue would be beneficial.

Development of Leiomyosarcoma in a Patient Treated with Azathioprine.

Cirrhosis resulting from autoimmune hepatitis is associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. A common treatment for autoimmune hepatitis, azathioprine, is also associated with the development of many other cancers, predominantly lymphomas. The strongest association is seen for post-transplant lymphoma and hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients; there is also an association with a variety of cutaneous malignancies. A relationship between azathioprine and sarcoma has not been demonstrated, though there have been sporadic case reports. We report here the development of leiomyosarcoma in a patient who was treated with azathioprine for autoimmune hepatitis without cirrhosis.

Extensive Bilateral Nodular Lung: A Diagnostic Challenge.

An elderly female presented to the emergency department with a two-month history of dyspnea on exertion and productive cough. Imaging revealed miliary nodular pattern involving both lungs. She underwent extensive work up evaluating different possible pathological processes. The condition was ultimately lethal. In this educational case report, we review the common - and not-so-common - etiologies that might present with this constellation of signs and symptoms, along with the diagnostic strategies and thought processes used to identify the final diagnosis.

A Simple Intervention to Increase Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in a Family Medicine Practice.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that is the leading cause of cervical cancer world- wide. It is vaccine-preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control, only 60 percent of girls have started the HPV vaccination series countrywide and only 50 percent of boys have started. South Dakota is below this national average. In an effort to assess - and improve - HPV vaccination rates in our practice a quality improvement effort was undertaken. Two interventions were implemented a month apart: the first was a mailing to the parent(s) of all patients 11-12 years of age during the time period of the intervention; the second was an in-office reminder system for both patients and physicians at the time of an office encounter. After each of the interventions, the immunization rate for one injection was significantly greater than baseline; while slightly higher than baseline, that for those receiving both injections was not statistically different for either intervention.

Enhancing Immunization Rates for Senior Citizens in South Dakota Family Medicine Residency Practices.

BACKGROUND: The Sioux Falls Family Medicine Residency serves a large non-English speaking and low socioeconomic status population. We designed a quality initiative to increase influenza and pneumonia vaccination rates in our elderly patients. METHODS: The main components of the project included improved clinic workflow, physician and staff education, and heightened patient awareness of vaccination importance. For the latter, we employed posters with key points about why patients should receive the vaccines, and personalized handouts with a photo of their provider discussing the importance of receiving these vaccines. The handouts were translated into the four most common non-English languages served by our clinics. RESULTS: Following implementation of the initiative, influenza vaccination rates increased from 35 to 53 percent, PPSV23 vaccination rates increased from 62.5 to 64 percent, and most impressively, PCV13 vaccination rates increased from 40 to 60 percent. CONCLUSION: This quality improvement project demonstrated meaningful change with minimal financial and logistical investment and should be sustainable in the long-term.

Acute Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction Due to Anti-Kpa Antibody.

BACKGROUND: Kpa (KEL3, Penney) is a red blood cell antigen within the Kell system, first described in 1957, that occurs in less than 2 percent of the population. Although anti-Kpa antibodies were identified in 2-5 percent of those with alloantibodies among patients requiring chronic transfusion, only five previously published case reports of anti-Kpa reactions were identified. CASE REPORT: Reported here is a case of an elderly female who experienced an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction due to this antigen. Following initiation of blood transfusion, she experienced a sudden onset of rigorous chills, accompanied by elevated temperature, tachycardia, and hypertension. Laboratory studies showed uremia, elevated creatinine, positive direct Coomb's, and low haptoglobin. Serology revealed anti-Kpa antibody. CONCLUSION: This report is only the sixth, to our knowledge, of a significant reaction attributable to anti-Kpa and only the second of an acute hemolytic reaction associated with it. It serves as a reminder of the potential of low incidence antigens causing severe reactions; this potential should be considered when evaluating acute hemolytic reaction.

Multiple Myeloma Light Chain Amyloidosis Presenting as Hepatic Failure.

Amyloidosis is characterized by abnormal deposition of aggregations of amyloid fibril proteins. Systemic amyloidosis usually involves multiple organs, with kidneys being the most common organ involved, followed by the heart. In general, the presentation of hepatic amyloidosis varies with minimal or no symptoms commonly seen. Hepatic amyloidosis is rarely associated with multiple myeloma. We report here a case of portal hypertension, ascites, and severe intrahepatic cholestasis as the initial presentation of hepatic amyloidosis and multiple myeloma, which followed a rapidly progressive clinical course.

Multifactorial Splenomegaly.

Splenomegaly is an unusual finding among North Americans, but is commonly seen in many parts of the world. Increasingly, it can be encountered locally among recent immigrant and refugee populations. A broad differential diagnosis is required. We report the case of a 33-year-old refugee with multiple potential causes for splenomegaly. Empiric treatment of one of the infectious contributors to his splenomegaly resulted in a significant improvement of his quality of life, illustrating the importance of a thorough evaluation of potential causes of splenomegaly, especially in refugee and immigrant populations.

Development of a New South Dakota Rural Family Medicine Residency Program.

The healthcare workforce is a priority in South Dakota. It has been estimated that 8,000 additional healthcare workers beyond those in practice in 2010 will be needed by 2020. In 2016, the South Dakota Department of Health included in its budget funds for the development of a new Rural Family Medicine Residency Training Program as one of the steps toward addressing the physician component of these workforce needs. This new program has just received its accreditation and is recruiting the inaugural class of resident physicians for the spring of 2018. This article provides a concise overview of the program's initial development.

Tick Talk: Tick-borne Diseases of South Dakota.

In addition to being a nuisance, ticks can carry disease. This article presents a brief review of ticks and associated tick-borne disease relevant to South Dakota and surrounding regions. Tick-borne diseases of special relevance in South Dakota include tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease. A number of others may also be encountered in the state as well. Prompt treatment of suspected cases is important to ensure a successful recovery, and tick-avoidance measures can reduce the risks of acquiring them. Most of these conditions are nationally reportable infectious diseases.

The 36 Hour Day, Revisited: Implementing a Caregiver Support System Into Primary Care Practice.

An estimated 5.3 million Americans had Alzheimer's disease in 2015. With the aging population and rapid rise in those with dementia, it is vital to not only care for the dementia patient, but also his or her primary caregiver. Caregivers often suffer from depression and neglect their own health in order to care for their loved one. In this regard, included is a review of the role of the primary care physician including the importance of discussing the diagnosis of dementia with the patient and family, providing supportive services and resources, as well as the challenges that many physicians face in tackling the care of a dementia caregiver.

Prevention, Detection, and Management of Diabetes in South Dakota.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing in prevalence nationwide and in South Dakota, with an especially high prevalence in its American Indian population. Screening is not recommended for type 1 DM, but is for type 2 DM and pre-diabetes in certain populations. Fasting glucose, two-hour glucose tolerance test, or hemoglobin A1c are appropriate screening options. Treatment can include diabetic self-management education programs and medications. In addition to glycemic control, other cardiovascular risk factors must be reduced in these patients and specific testing and consultations should be performed to detect complications such as nephropathy or retinopathy. Along with routine age-appropriate immunizations, most diabetic patients should receive the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV-23), influenza, and the hepatitis B series. Progression from pre-diabetes to type 2 DM can be prevented or delayed in some patients through lifestyle interventions and/or metformin. The South Dakota Diabetes Coalition (www.sddiabetescoalition.org) is an excellent resource for clinicians and patients.