Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2018
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Observational StudyThe Influence of Family Physicians Within the South African District Health System: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Evidence of the influence of family physicians on health care is required to assist managers and policy makers with human resource planning in Africa. The international argument for family physicians derives mainly from research in high-income countries, so this study aimed to evaluate the influence of family physicians on the South African district health system. ⋯ In this study, having family physicians on staff was associated with better indicators of performance and processes in district hospitals but not in community health centers. The latter was surprising and is inconsistent with the global literature, suggesting that further research is needed on the influence of family physicians at the primary care level.
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2018
Multicenter StudyDetecting Hepatitis B and C by Combined Public Health and Primary Care Birth Cohort Testing.
Both chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and B virus (HBV) infections are generally asymptomatic, and many remain undetected or are diagnosed at a late stage. Studies that evaluate best practice hepatitis testing strategies are needed to better detect this hidden population. ⋯ This best practice testing strategy was effective in achieving a high test uptake. It completely failed, however, to detect hidden chronic HCV infections and is not recommended for countries with a low prevalence of the disease.
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2018
Multicenter StudyIntegrating Community Health Workers Into Medical Homes.
Though evidence supports the value of community health workers (CHWs) in chronic disease self-management support, and authorities have called for expanding their roles within patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), few PCMHs in Minnesota have incorporated these health workers into their care teams. We undertook a qualitative study to (1) identify facilitators and barriers to utilizing a CHW model among PCMHs in Minnesota, and (2) define roles played by this workforce within the PCMH team. ⋯ We identified facilitators and barriers to adopting CHW roles as part of PCMH care teams in Minnesota and documented their roles being played in these settings. Our findings can be used when considering strategies to enhance utilization and integration of this emerging workforce.