Medical student program to learn from families experiencing developmental disabilities.

Patients and families experiencing developmental disabilities (DDs) may lack trust in physicians due to negative experiences in healthcare. DDs include conditions impairing physical, learning, language, or behavior areas, beginning during the developmental period and impacting daily functioning ('Developmental Disabilities'). Medical students generally do not receive standard training to effectively communicate with and diagnose patients with DDs. ARIE is a program for medical students to meet and learn from these patients and their families. Students learn about these families' experiences during home visits, guided by standardized interview questions and surveys about families' trust in physicians. Families did not appear to strongly trust physicians, with no significant changes after the program. Families shared they experienced physicians' lack of empathy and knowledge when caring for patients with DDs. Families wanted future physicians to be empathetic and informed when treating children with disabilities. Students reported increased comfort and confidence in interacting with patients with DDs as well as their families after completing the training program. Implementing a service-learning model focused on DDs at other medical schools, incorporating training with communication techniques and home visits, can increase students' confidence and experiences when engaging with patients with DDs and their families.

Impact of a 50-Year Premedical Postbaccalaureate Program in Graduating Physicians for Practice in Primary Care and Underserved Areas.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Wayne State University School of Medicine's (WSUSOM's) 50-year premedical postbaccalaureate program (PBP)-the first and oldest in the United States-in achieving its goals, as measured by medical school matriculation and graduation, primary care specialization, and current practice location. METHOD: A retrospective study of a complete comparative dataset of 9,856 WSUSOM MD graduates (1979-2017) was performed in July-August 2018. This included 539 graduates who were admitted to the PBP between 1969 and 2012. Data collected included PBP students' sociodemographics, postgraduate specialization, residence location at time of admission to the PBP, and current medicine practice location. Health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) and medically underserved areas/populations (MUA/Ps) were determined for residence at admission to the PBP and current medicine practice location. RESULTS: Of the 539 PBP students, 463/539 (85.9%) successfully completed the PBP and matriculated to WSUSOM. Of those, 401/463 (86.6%) obtained an MD, and of those, 233/401 (58.1%) were female and 277/401 (69.1%) were African American. Average investment per PBP student was approximately $52,000 and for an MD graduate was approximately $77,000. The majority of PBP MD graduates with current practice information resided in HPSAs or MUA/Ps at admission to PBP (204/283, 72.1%) and were currently practicing in HPSAs or MUA/Ps (232/283, 82.0%), and 139/283 (49.1%) became primary care physicians (PCPs). Comparison of WSUSOM PBP and non-PBP MD graduates showed PBP physicians become PCPs and practice in HPSAs or MUA/Ps at higher rates than non-PBP physicians (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The PBP was successful in graduating a large proportion of physicians from socioeconomically disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds, who practice as PCPs and who practice in HPSAs and MUA/Ps, thereby accomplishing the PBP's goals of helping to address the broad health care needs of all people in the United States.

Association of Hospital Readmissions and Survivability With Frailty and Palliative Performance Scores Among Long-Term Care Residents.

BACKGROUND: Frailty and palliative performance scores are 2 markers used in the measurement of functional decline in oncology and hospice care. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frailty and palliative performance scores of a long-term care resident community and determine whether frailty and palliative performance scores can predict hospital readmissions (HR) and survivability of the long-term care resident. METHODS: One hundred seventy-one long-term care residents from 2 urban facilities were evaluated for functional decline using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and Palliative Performance Scale (PPS). Sociodemographic, HR, and survival data for 1 year from study initiation were recorded. RESULTS: The 171 long-term care residents, of lower socioeconomic status, primarily Medicare/Medicaid or dual-eligible, evaluated for functional decline using the CFS and PPS, had mean age of 73.1 years, 52.6% female, 94.7% African American, with 18.1% having HR and 87.1% surviving more than a year. There was a negative association between age and HR (P = .384). Among functional evaluation scales, CFS was positively associated with age (P = .013) but not PPS (P = .673). The residents scored 6.0 ± 1.2 on CFS and 52.8 ± 13.2 on PPS (%) with those residents readmitted to hospital having poorer outcomes. Readmission to hospital and survivability of the long-term care resident were both strongly associated with CFS (P = .001) and PPS (P = .001). CONCLUSION: There is a strong association between the 2 markers used in the measurement of functional decline-Frailty measured by CFS and Palliative Performance Score measured by PPS. Frailty and palliative performance scores can strongly predict HR and survivability of the long-term care resident.

Health literacy, preventive health screening, and medication adherence behaviors of older African Americans at a PCMH.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the health literacy (HL) of older African Americans (AAs) and establish whether associations exist between HL and preventive health screening (PHS) behaviors, disease control (DC), and medication adherence (MA). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study using a clustered sampling of older AAs. METHODS: A total of 99 older AAs seeking care at a patient-centered medical home were given the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA), and Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS). Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained. RESULTS: The group was 75.8% female, with means of 75 years of age, 12.7 years education, and 29.5 kg/m2 body mass index and good control over disease markers: For blood pressure, 62.6% had good control; for blood glucose, 82.8%; and for total lipids/cholesterol, 63.6% (high-density lipoprotein, 81.8%; low-density lipoprotein, 73.7%). Compliance rates for primary PHS behaviors were 61.6% for influenza vaccine and 57.7% for pneumococcal vaccine. For secondary PHS behaviors, compliance rates for mammography were 97.3% among women; for colonoscopy, 84%; and for bone densitometry (BD), 62.8%. Performance differences were observed on HL scales, with 31.3% and 73.7% obtaining an adequate NVS score and STOFHLA score, respectively, but no gender differences were noted. HL scales showed positive association among themselves (P = .001), patient education (NVS, P = .001; STOFHLA, P = .004), MMAS (P = .001 and P = .563, respectively), anthropometry measurements, primary PHS procedures, and 1 secondary PHS procedure (mammography), but they exhibited negative association with colonoscopy and BD. DC achieved using a PHS approach to clinical care was not associated with HL. CONCLUSIONS: HL was positively associated with patient education, some PHS behaviors, and MA. Performance on HL scales may not enable positive identification of PHS behaviors, DC, and MA. Thus, HL may have limited efficacy as a tool to assess PHS behaviors and DC among older AAs.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment among high-risk patients: Does a combined intervention targeting patients and providers work?

BACKGROUND: Physicians are aware of the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines; however, most patients fail to attain cholesterol goals. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a combined program of patient education and provider awareness could improve the National Cholesterol Education Program goal attainment among patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. METHODS: One hundred seven high-risk patients with cardiovascular disease were educated in a single 15-minute session regarding their cholesterol levels, risk factors, and medication adherence. Those with scores of 2 or lower on the Morisky questionnaire were classified as low-adherence patients, and those with scores of 3 or higher were classified as high-adherence patients. Seven physicians were provided this information and were requested to evaluate the dyslipidemia management of these patients. Lipid levels were reevaluated 8 to 12 weeks after the intervention. RESULTS: At the start of the study, 38 (35.5%) of the 107 patients were at target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, and 64 of the 107 patients (59.8%) were at target levels after the intervention. High-adherence patients decreased their LDL-C levels from a mean of 118.6 mg/dL (3.07 mmol/L) to 98.6 mg/dL (2.55 mmol/L); low-adherence patients increased their LDL-C levels after the intervention from 134.5 mg/dL (3.48 mmol/L) to 142.1 mg/dL (3.68 mmol/L). A comparison between the LDL-C goal achievers vs nonachievers revealed a significant difference in adherence (P = .001). Among the goal achievers, significant decreases in preintervention vs postintervention total cholesterol levels (P = .001) and LDL-C levels (P = .001) were also noted. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that an intervention simultaneously targeting patients and providers is successful in improving goal attainment among high-risk patients.

Hypothesized predictors of patient-physician trust and distrust in the elderly: implications for health and disease management.

This study notes the differences between trust and distrust perceptions by the elderly as compared with younger populations. Given the importance of trust and distrust in compliance, changing behaviors, and forming partnerships for both health and disease management, it is necessary to be able to measure patient-doctor trust and distrust (PDTD). Following recent conceptualizations on trust and distrust as coexistent states, this study hypothesizes predictors of PDTD. We are proposing that these predictors form the basis for designing, developing and validating a PDTD scale (PDTDS). It is important to capture the trust-distrust perceptions of older patients as they confront the complexities and vulnerabilities of the modem healthcare delivery system. This is necessary if we are to design interventions to change behaviors of both the healthcare provider and the older patient.

Are anonymous evaluations a better assessment of faculty teaching performance? A comparative analysis of open and anonymous evaluation processes.

OBJECTIVE: We compared teaching performance of medical school faculty using anonymous evaluations and open evaluations (in which the evaluator was not anonymous) and examined barriers to open evaluation. METHODS: Residents and medical students evaluated faculty using an open evaluation instrument in which their identity was indicated in the evaluation. Following this, they completed anonymous evaluation on the same faculty members. Aggregate outcomes using the two evaluation systems were compared. Outcomes by group of evaluators (residents and students) were analyzed. Trainees were also asked to rate the barriers to the open evaluation process. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference between the open and anonymous evaluations was noted across all items, with faculty receiving lower scores on the anonymous evaluations. The mean score for all the items on the open evaluations was 4.45 +/- 0.65, compared to mean score of 4.07 +/- 0.80 on the anonymous evaluations. There was also a statistically significant difference between open and anonymous evaluations in five clinical teaching domains that were evaluated individually. Residents perceived that the three most common barriers to optimal evaluation were an apprehension of possible encounters with the same attending physician in the future, destruction of working relationships with the attending, and a feeling of frustration with the evaluation system. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of faculty teaching performance is complex. Most academic medical centers use the open evaluation format. This study supports the case for the use of the anonymous evaluation method as a more accurate reflection of teaching performance.