Lineamientos técnicos para la receta repetitiva en unidades de salud, farmacias especializadas y consulta externa de hospitales nacionales / Technical guidelines for repetitive prescriptions in health units, specialized pharmacies and outpatient consultations in national hospitals

En el presente documento se establece el mecanismo para la ejecución de la estrategia de la receta repetitiva, en el marco de la transformación digital. La receta repetitiva es una estrategia organizada y sistemática que se ha implementado en las unidades de salud del Primer Nivel de Atención y consulta externa de los hospitales incluyendo farmacias especializadas, para garantizar el abastecimiento de medicamentos de uso crónico por usuarios con diagnóstico de enfermedades no transmisibles, que estén en control o seguimiento en el sistema público de salud. En ese sentido se desarrolla la actualización y se reestructura la ejecución adaptándola al uso del expediente clínico electrónico del Sistema Integrado de Salud (SIS), con el propósito de fortalecer la prestación de los servicios; siendo una de las estrategias que contribuye a reducir la concentración en los establecimientos de salud de usuarios clínicamente compensados con patologías que requieran medicamentos de uso crónico y facilitándoles el abastecimiento continuo

This document establishes the mechanism for the implementation of the repetitive recipe strategy, within the framework of digital transformation. The repetitive prescription is an organized and systematic strategy that has been implemented in the health units of the First Level of Care and outpatient consultation of hospitals including specialized pharmacies, to ensure the supply of medicines for chronic use by users diagnosed with non-communicable diseases, which are under control or monitoring in the public health system. In this sense, the update is developed and the execution is restructured adapting it to the use of the electronic clinical record of the Integrated Health System (SIS), in order to strengthen service delivery; being one of the strategies that contributes to reduce the concentration in health establishments of users clinically compensated with pathologies that require drugs of chronic use and facilitating the continuous supply

Evaluating Public Perceptions of Cosmetic Procedures in the Medical Spa and Physician's Office Settings: A Large-scale Survey.

BACKGROUND: Medical spa and cosmetic procedure markets have grown substantially in recent years. The lack of consistent medical oversight at medical spas raises safety concerns. OBJECTIVE: To understand how the public views medical spas compared with physician's offices as places to receive cosmetic procedures with a focus on safety. METHODS: 1,108 people were surveyed on an internet platform about their perceptions of the safety of receiving cosmetic procedures at medical spas and physician's offices. Respondents were grouped by their past experiences. Chi-squared and analysis of variance models were used to determine statistically significant differences between groups at the 0.05 level. RESULTS: Respondents who had only received cosmetic procedures at physician's offices or had never received a cosmetic procedure cared more about being treated by a physician ( p < .001) and rated safety as more important ( p = .03). Total complication rates were numerically higher at medical spas compared with physician's offices ( p = .41). Minimally invasive skin tightening (0.77 vs 0.0, p < .001) and nonsurgical fat reduction (0.80 vs 0.36, p = .04) had higher complication rates at medical spas. CONCLUSION: There were concerns among the public about the safety of cosmetic procedures at medical spas, and some procedures demonstrated higher complication rates in this setting.

[Unattended automated blood pressure measurement : a valuable tool for the physician]. / Mesure automatique et non observée de la pression artérielle : un outil précieux pour le clinicien.

Three main methods of blood pressure (BP) measurement are routinely used: office-based BP measures (OBPM), 24-hour ambulatory BP measures (ABPM), and home BP measures (HBPM). OBPM can lack precision, ABPM gives exhaustive information but is not comfortable, HBPM requires a device at home and the result is not immediate. The automated (unattended) office blood pressure measurement (AOBP) is a more recent method, simple to implement in the physician's office, permitting to largely avoid the white coat effect. The result is immediate and the readings are similar to those obtained by ABPM, the reference diagnostic method for hypertension. We describe the AOBP for practical application.

Trois méthodes de mesure de la pression artérielle (PA) sont principalement utilisées : la mesure simple de la PA en clinique (MPAC), la mesure ambulatoire de la PA sur 24 h (MAPA) et l'automesure de la PA (AMPA). La MPAC peut manquer de précision, la MAPA donne des informations exhaustives mais n'est pas très confortable, l'AMPA nécessite un appareil à domicile et l'interprétation du résultat n'est pas immédiate. Une méthode plus récente est la mesure automatique et non observée de la PA (MNPA). Il s'agit d'un procédé simple, qui peut être facilement implémenté au cabinet et qui permet d'éviter en grande partie l'effet blouse blanche. Le résultat est immédiat et les valeurs sont similaires aux mesures par MAPA, la méthode de référence de diagnostic de l'hypertension artérielle. Nous décrivons ici la MNPA pour la pratique.

Accommodating hearing loss in outpatient physician offices in the U.S.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 16.2 million Americans ages 18 and older (5.7%) report being deaf or having serious difficulty hearing. Hearing loss impedes effective communication during clinical encounters putting patients' safety at risk. A large fraction of Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits addresses whether providers offered auxiliary aids and services required to ensure effective communication. OBJECTIVE: Examine use of different hearing accommodations for deaf or hard of hearing patients by U.S. physicians. METHODS: We surveyed randomly selected physicians nationwide representing 7 specialties about their reported use of 8 types of accommodations when communicating with adult outpatients who are deaf or have significant difficulty hearing, even with hearing aids (overall weighted response rate = 61.0%). We performed a descriptive analysis of responses, using survey sampling weights. RESULTS: Among the 526 physicians in this analysis, most were male, white, urban, and practiced in community-based practices. Overall, 81.5% (SE = 1.9) reported that patients with significant hearing limitations get worse quality health care than others. Among participants, 49.8% (2.4) reported never using an in-person sign language interpreter hired by the practice, and 63.2% (2.4) never use video remote interpreting. In contrast, 30.7% (2.1) always and 29.8% (2.2) usually speak louder and slower to patients with significant hearing limitations. None of the 8 accommodations were always or usually used by 8.9% (1.3) of participants. CONCLUSIONS: More than 32 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act, most physicians do not offer accommodations sufficient to ensure effective communication with adult outpatients with significant hearing limitations.

Mulheres em situação de rua e cidadania / Homeless women and citizenship

Este ensaio tem como objetivo refletir sobre o status de cidadania das mulheres em situação de rua (PSR) frente ao acesso à política de saúde brasileira. Para a fundamentação teórica, adotaram-se autores que trabalham com o tema de gênero, cidadania e PSR. Ao categorizar a PSR como cidadãos isolados, argumenta-se que os estigmas e a exclusão social fazem com que tais pessoas sejam privadas de praticamente todos os direitos de cidadania. Evidencia-se que as mulheres em situação de rua têm sua condição ainda mais agravada, tendo em vista o papel social ao qual a mulher é submetida na sociedade. A política de saúde da mulher se constituiu com foco em mulheres que vivem num contexto domiciliar, e a política do Consultório na Rua ampliou a possibilidade de acesso da mulher em situação de rua aos serviços de saúde. Porém, muitas vezes, o cuidado a essas mulheres tem a sua complexidade reduzida à possibilidade de serem gestantes, diminuindo com isso a sua condição de cidadã. Ainda é um desafio dar visibilidade e reconhecer os direitos de cidadania dessas mulheres, cuidando de forma integral a partir de uma leitura crítica das desigualdades construídas historicamente entre homens e mulheres.

A longitudinalidade e o controle da tuberculose: Intervenções de equipes de Consultório na Rua no município de São Paulo / Longitudinality and tuberculosis control: Interventions by Street Clinic teams in the city of São Paulo

A literatura atual ressalta os esforços mundiais para a redução do coeficiente de incidência e de óbitos relacionados à tuberculose. Porém, estes indicadores ainda são elevados nas capitais brasileiras, com ênfase na população em situação de rua. Este artigo apresenta os resultados da dissertação de Mestrado Profissional em Saúde Coletiva pelo Instituto de Saúde de São Paulo, intitulado "A longitudinalidade e o controle da tuberculose: Intervenções de equipes de Consultório na Rua (eCnaR) no município de São Paulo". Objetivou identificar as práticas de cuidado de saúde desempenhadas por quatro eCnaR. Foram utilizadas duas ferramentas de coleta de dados direcionadas aos profissionais de saúde e pacientes acompanhados pelas equipes, correlacionando os atributos de longitudinalidade com a análise do conteúdo obtido. Foi evidenciada a atuação dos agentes de saúde como potente elo na construção do vínculo entre os pacientes e as eCnaR, bem como as estratégias usadas em negociações e construções de combinados com os pacientes. Também foi assinalada a importância da interface com profissionais nos centros de acolhida, em outras eCnaR e demais serviços parceiros para a conclusão do tratamento de tuberculose, constituindo efetivamente a rede de cuidado, diante da itinerância e das dificuldades enfrentadas pela população em situação de rua.

Intervenções psicológicas necessárias: a prática como residente no serviço de medicina fetal / Necessary psychological interventions: the practice as a resident in the fetal medicine service / Intervenciones psicológicas necesarias: la práctica como residente en el servicio de medicina fetal

Com os avanços tecnológicos e o aprimoramento da prática médica via ultrassonografia, já é possível detectar possíveis problemas no feto desde a gestação. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a prática do psicólogo no contexto de gestações que envolvem riscos fetais. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo sob formato de relato de experiência como psicólogo residente no Serviço de Medicina Fetal da Maternidade Escola da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Os registros, feitos por observação participante e diário de campo, foram analisados em dois eixos temáticos: 1) intervenções psicológicas no trabalho em equipe em consulta de pré-natal, exame de ultrassonografia e procedimento de amniocentese; e 2) intervenções psicológicas em casos de bebês incompatíveis com a vida. Os resultados indicaram que o psicólogo nesse serviço é essencial para atuar de forma multiprofissional na assistência pré-natal para gravidezes de alto risco fetal. Ademais, a preceptoria do residente é relevante para sua formação e treinamento para atuação profissional no campo da psicologia perinatal.(AU)

Face to the technological advances and the improvement of medical practice via ultrasound, it is already possible to detect possible problems in the fetus since pregnancy. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychologist's practice in the context of pregnancies which involve fetal risks. It is a qualitative study based on an experience report as a psychologist trainee at the Fetal Medicine Service of the Maternity School of UFRJ. The records, based on the participant observation and field diary, were analyzed in two thematic axes: 1) psychological interventions in the teamwork in the prenatal attendance, ultrasound examination and amniocentesis procedure; and 2) psychological interventions in cases of babies incompatible to the life. The results indicated that the psychologist in this service is essential to work in a multidisciplinary way at the prenatal care for high fetal risk pregnancies. Furthermore, the resident's preceptorship is relevant to their education and training for professional performance in the field of Perinatal Psychology.(AU)

Con los avances tecnológicos y la mejora de la práctica médica a través de la ecografía, ya se puede detectar posibles problemas en el feto desde el embarazo. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la práctica del psicólogo en el contexto de embarazos de riesgos fetal. Es un estudio cualitativo basado en un relato de experiencia como residente de psicología en el Servicio de Medicina Fetal de la Escuela de Maternidad de la Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Los registros, realizados en la observación participante y el diario de campo, se analizaron en dos ejes temáticos: 1) intervenciones psicológicas en el trabajo en equipo, en la consulta prenatal, ecografía y los procedimientos de amniocentesis; y 2) intervenciones psicológicas en casos de bebés incompatibles con la vida. Los resultados señalaron como fundamental la presencia del psicólogo en este servicio trabajando de forma multidisciplinar en la atención prenatal en el contexto de embarazos de alto riesgo fetal. Además, la tutela del residente es relevante para su educación y formación para el desempeño profesional en el campo de la Psicología Perinatal.(AU)

Experiences Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic Among U.S. Physicians in Office-based Settings, 2020-2021.

Objective-To assess final estimates of physician experiences related to COVID-19 and to compare preliminary estimates used in NCHS early-release dashboards with final estimates in this report.

Physician perceptions of drug utilization management: Results of a national survey.

The use of drug utilization management techniques such as formulary exclusions, prior authorizations, and step edits has risen sharply during the last decade, contributing to the growing burden on physicians and patients. Limited quantitative data exist, however, on physician perceptions of drug utilization management. A national survey was conducted between February 9 and March 30, 2021, targeting office-based physicians working in the United States to assess their perceptions on drug utilization management in their practice. Of the 742 physicians that participated in the study, over 80% reported deciding against prescribing certain treatments in anticipation of drug utilization management at least sometimes (>50% of the time). Despite utilization management having an impact on prescribing decisions, about half of physicians said that the utilization management policies they encounter rarely or never (0-25% of the time) align with clinical evidence.

Employment in Office-Based and Intensive Behavioral Health Settings in the US, 2016-2021.

This study uses employment census data to show trends in behavioral health employment during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Geographic Variation in Private Equity Penetration Across Select Office-Based Physician Specialties in the US.

This cross-sectional study examines geographic variations in private equity firm acquisitions of US physician practices across 6 specialties.

Design and Evaluation of an Electronic Information Exchange System Connecting Laboratories and Physicians' Offices.

Laboratory services are a crucial part of medical care and contribute to physicians' treatment-related decision-making. However, paper-based information exchanges between physicians' offices and laboratories waste physicians' time and prevent them from using outpatient test results in a timely and effective manner. To solve this problem, improve the safety and quality of patient care, and save patients' time and energy, the present study developed a web-based system for electronic information exchange between laboratories and offices in Microsoft Visual Studio with the ASP.net technology and the Microsoft SQL Server database. The developed web-based software met the needs of the users and stakeholders (physicians, laboratory personnel, and patients) in the laboratory service cycle. To evaluate the software, user satisfaction was assessed in terms of user interface, operational functionality, and system performance, indicating the acceptability of all the criteria from the viewpoint of the stakeholders. The developed web-based software enables electronic communication between offices and laboratories (two important healthcare bases), establishes information exchange (sending requests and receiving laboratory results) between these two bases, and also notifies the patients. The software gained the overall satisfaction of the users, and this highlights the need for electronic communications in the healthcare domain.

Prevenção quaternária e Homeopatia: prevenindo o quê?

Live com o Dr. Angelmar Constantino Roman.

Accessibility of adult immunizations in pharmacies compared to physician offices in low-income communities.

BACKGROUND: Expanding access to immunization services is essential for improving low-income communities' access to health care. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether adults who live in low-income communities, and adults 65 years old and older who live in low-income communities, have greater access to pharmacies for immunization services than to relevant physician offices. METHODS: Databases of the number of physician practices and pharmacy locations were geocoded into ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs). The ZCTAs where the share of families living at or below the federal poverty threshold exceeded 30% were defined as low-income communities for purposes of the analysis. The raw access comparisons were adjusted to reflect whether physician practices have Medicare Part D billing capability, an access constraint for patients aged 65 years and over, and to reflect the differences in hours of operation. RESULTS: There were 15.1% more pharmacy locations within the low-income communities than the availability of physician practices. After adjusting for the hours of operation, the pharmacy locations offered 95.7% more operating hours than the physician practice sites. Compared to the physician practices that have Medicare Part D billing capability, there were 203.0% more pharmacy locations. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, lower-income families had greater access to pharmacies than to physician practices, which indicates that pharmacies can play a valuable role in expanding immunization access and could warrant considering policy reforms that enhance the authority of pharmacists to administer vaccinations. State-level potential reforms could include expanding and harmonizing laws governing pharmacist authority to deliver such services, creating health enterprise zones, and granting special tax breaks, regulatory exemptions, or public assistance to encourage the establishment of physician offices and pharmacies in low-income communities.

Reasons Office-Based Physicians in the United States Recommend Common Complementary Health Approaches to Patients: An Exploratory Study Using a National Survey.

Objective: To examine the reasons why office-based physicians do or do not recommend four selected complementary health approaches to their patients in the context of the Andersen Behavioral Model. Design: Descriptive estimates of physician-level data from the 2012 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) Physician Induction Interview, a nationally representative survey of office-based physicians (N = 5622, weighted response rate = 59.7%). Setting/Location: The United States. Outcome measures: Reasons for the recommendation or lack thereof to patients for: herbs and other non-vitamin supplements, chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, acupuncture, and mind-body therapies (including meditation, guided imagery, and progressive relaxation). Differences by physician sex and medical specialty were described. Results: For each of the four complementary health approaches, more than half of the physicians who made recommendations indicated that they were influenced by scientific evidence in peer-reviewed journals (ranging from 52.0% for chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation [95% confidence interval, CI = 47.6-56.3] to 71.3% for herbs and other non-vitamin supplements [95% CI = 66.9-75.4]). More than 60% of all physicians recommended each of the four complementary health approaches because of patient requests. A higher percentage of female physicians reported evidence in peer-reviewed journals as a rationale for recommending herbs and non-vitamin supplements or chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation when compared with male physicians (herbs and non-vitamin supplements: 78.8% [95% CI = 72.4-84.3] vs. 66.6% [95% CI = 60.8-72.2]; chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation: 62.3% [95% CI = 54.7-69.4] vs. 47.5% [95% CI = 42.3-52.7]). For each of the four complementary health approaches, a lack of perceived benefit was the most frequently reported reason by both sexes for not recommending. Lack of information sources was reported more often by female versus male physicians as a reason to not recommend herbs and non-vitamin supplements (31.4% [95% CI = 26.8-36.3] vs. 23.4% [95% CI = 21.0-25.9]). Conclusions: There are limited nationally representative data on the reasons as to why office-based physicians decide to recommend complementary health approaches to patients. Developing a more nuanced understanding of influencing factors in physicians' decision making regarding complementary health approaches may better inform researchers and educators, and aid physicians in making evidence-based recommendations for patients.