American family physician
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving functionally disruptive inattentive and/or hyperactive/impulsive behaviors, such as being easily distracted, regularly failing to follow through on tasks, being restless, or often interrupting others. ADHD diagnosed in childhood often persists into adulthood, with 14.6% of U. S. adults meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., criteria for ADHD. ⋯ Clinical guidelines recommend a subset of amphetamine and methylphenidate stimulants as first-line pharmacotherapy, which may be more effective when combined with psychotherapy. For adults unable to take stimulants or with concurrent anxiety/depression, options include atomoxetine, viloxazine, and bupropion. To monitor for patient misuse or diversion of stimulants, physicians should consider employing controlled substance agreements and prescription drug monitoring programs.
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Pulmonary hypertension includes a diverse set of conditions defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 20 mm Hg found during right heart catheterization that can lead to right-sided heart failure and death if untreated. The most common cause of pulmonary hypertension is left-sided heart failure, followed by chronic obstructive lung disease. Pulmonary hypertension presents as unexplained dyspnea on exertion and possible findings of right-sided heart failure. ⋯ Patients with pulmonary hypertension have a high risk of perioperative complications, and detailed specialty preoperative evaluation is recommended. Physicians should counsel patients of childbearing age with pulmonary hypertension to prevent pregnancy to avoid worsening the severity of pulmonary hypertension and fetal loss. Pulmonary hypertension is severe, chronic, progressive, and challenging to treat; therefore, family physicians should update the patient's immunization status, screen for and address mental health conditions, and discuss goals of care and advance directives with patients.
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American family physician · Aug 2024
Continuity Matters: Financial Impact of the G2211 Code in Primary Care.
Family medicine is financially undervalued compared with other medical specialties, and reimbursement fails to recognize the valuable longitudinal care provided to patients. According to one estimate, a primary care physician earns approximately $80,000 less than a subspecialist peer in Medicare reimbursement over a one-year period.1 This gap persists despite primary care physicians addressing higher numbers of medical concerns during office visits. To address continuity, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created the G2211 code in 2019 to compensate for the "visit complexity inherent to evaluation and management associated with medical care services."2 The G2211 code was implemented in January 2024.