Journal of primary care & community health
-
J Prim Care Community Health · Jan 2020
Prevalence of Coronavirus Antibody Among First Responders in Lubbock, Texas.
The ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has a major impact on first responders. Scarce personal protective equipment (PPE) has forced them to conserve and reuse some of their PPE. The efficacy of these practices in preventing transmission of COVID-19 from patients to first responders is unclear. There are limited data on the prevalence of antibodies specific for COVID-19 exposure in these front-line workers. ⋯ The prevalence of IgG specific antibodies to COVID-19 was much lower than expected in our study population despite high sensitivity and specificity of the test reagent. The most likely explanations for this finding include limited exposure, inadequate time for a IgG response, possible clearance of COVID-19 infection locally by the respiratory tract IgA defense system without eliciting a systemic IgG response, and short persistence of IgG antibodies in mild or asymptomatic cases.
-
J Prim Care Community Health · Jan 2020
Practice GuidelineGuidelines for Frontline Health Care Staff Safety for COVID-19.
This document establishes safety guidelines for physicians, nurses, and allied health care and facility staff who may be exposed to patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a health care facility. SARS-CoV-2 infection is highly contagious and places health care workers at risk for infection resulting in coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Physicians, nurses, and allied health care and facility staff in all frontline environments must be provided and utilize necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). ⋯ The establishment of these guidelines is necessary in this viral pandemic since such directives can create a standard of safety that is universally accepted. These guidelines establish a framework to provide consistency among health care facilities and staff from the time the staff member arrives at the health care facility until they return home. These guidelines provide a practical description of the minimum necessary protection for physicians, nurses, and allied health care and facility staff against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
-
J Prim Care Community Health · Jan 2020
ReviewIncreasing the Signal-to-Noise Ratio: COVID-19 Clinical Synopsis for Outpatient Providers.
The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which is the cause of coronavirus disease (COVID-19 formally 2019-nCoV), has received widespread attention from the medical community. Despite the rapid publication of research on the virus and the disease it causes, there is a lack of concise and relevant material to help busy medical providers navigate recognition and management of the disease in the ambulatory setting. This review article aims to bridge this gap by briefly reviewing the key points of the evaluation and treatment of patients with COVID-19 in the ambulatory clinic environment.
-
J Prim Care Community Health · Jan 2020
A Case-Control Study: The Impact of Unintentional Discrepancies and Pharmacist Discharge Prescription Review on 30-Day Hospital Readmission.
Introduction: Medication discrepancies on hospital discharge are common and occur despite the use of technology to generate electronically created discharge (e-discharge) prescriptions, justifying pharmacist involvement. No published studies have focused on medication discrepancies as a risk factor for readmission. The aim was to explore the relationship between medication discrepancies on discharge and readmission rates, and how both are affected by pharmacist intervention. ⋯ Conclusions: Pharmacist review of the e-discharge prescription did not affect the readmission rate. A LACE score of 12 or greater was associated with a higher risk of readmission. Future studies are needed to identify patient groups at high risk of readmission and to determine pharmacist interventions that could reduce readmission rates.
-
J Prim Care Community Health · Jan 2020
The Risk of Prior Opioid Exposure on Future Opioid Use and Comorbidities in Individuals With Non-Acute Musculoskeletal Knee Pain.
Due to their potentially deleterious effects, minimizing the use of opioids for musculoskeletal pain is a priority for healthcare systems. The objective of this study was to examine the risk of future opioid prescription use based on prior opioid use within a non-surgical cohort with musculoskeletal knee pain. We also examined the risk of pre-existing comorbidities on future opioid use, and the risk of prior opioid use on future comorbidities (sleep, mental health, cardiometabolic disorders). ⋯ Prior opioid use was a strong risk factor for future opioid use in non-surgical patients with knee pain. These findings show that history of prior opioid use is important when assessing the risk of future opioid use, whereas prior comorbidities may not be as important. Opioid history assessment should be standard practice for all patients with patellofemoral pain in whom an opioid prescription is considered.