BACKGROUND In recent years, national and state/territory governments have undertaken an increasing number of initiatives to strengthen general practice and improve its links with the rest of the primary health care sector. This paper reviews how far these initiatives were contributing to a well functioning and comprehensive primary health care system during the period 2000-2002, using a normati...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of panic states in patients presenting with chest pain in primary care settings, to determine the recognition rate of panic states by family physicians, and to assess the impact of lack of recognition on interventions and costs. METHODS Patients from the South Texas Ambulatory Research Network (STARNET) presenting with a new ...

Cataract surgery has evolved into an outpatient procedure that requires minimal anesthesia and significantly improves visual function for about 90% of patients. With the help of their primary care physician and ophthalmologist, patients can decide when cataract surgery is appropriate for them. In addition, patients may have a choice about the type of synthetic lens implant that fits their visua...

The Quebec health care system, founded in 1970 as a public, single payer, state run system had by 2004 reached a turning point. Rising costs, working in silos, difficulty accessing physicians, increased waiting time for diagnostic imaging and surgical intervention led policy makers and politicians to propose a new model for the organisation and delivery of care. Based on populational responsibi...

background: in some primary health care settings, even where the health services are not available, provisions are not made to ensure continuity of care. this study aimed to determine the availability and level of continuity of care for maternal health services in the primary health centers (phcs) in nnewi, nigeria. methods: this was a cross‑sectional survey. using multistage sampling technique...

BACKGROUND the burden of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults is well established. Contention surrounds the effectiveness, and hence value, of multi-component fall prevention interventions delivered in the community. OBJECTIVE using consensus-based analytic guidelines rather than time-to-first fall as the primary endpoint, the objective was to examine the effectiveness of the Wh...

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To examine the documentation of sensory impairment in the electronic medical records (EMRs) of Veterans with both hearing and vision losses (dual sensory impairment [DSI]). DESIGN AND METHODS A retrospective chart review of the EMRs of 20 patients with DSI was conducted. Providers' documentation of the presence of sensory impairment, the use of assistive technology during...

The acute red eye represents a broad spectrum of disease encompassing benign self-limiting conditions to potentially vision-threatening ophthalmic or system disease. This article will review clinical principles essential for the diagnosis and treatment of red eye relevant to all Armed Forces primary care and emergency medicine practitioners.

The new emphasis on patients with long-term conditions offers a vision of a primary health care service that will reduce the need for hospital admission. This article debates the implications of introducing the new advanced nursing role of community matron for patients with long-term conditions and the opportunities this may offer nursing.