Implementing Practice Changes in Family Medicine to Enhance Care and Prevent Disease Progression.

Abstract

This issue epitomizes family medicine with a heavy emphasis on research to prevent illness and illness progression. Which patients will experience significant symptomatic knee osteoarthritis? Do the elderly use retail clinics, and what is the impact on care for chronic conditions? Does capitation payment enhance or decrease same-day access? How do primary care practices risk stratify to provide integrated care? Can risk screening and on-site providers enhance psychiatric care? What screening questions should we ask adolescents, to identify problematic drug use? A report on a practice intervention to improve opioid prescribing practices, and another on the significant level of depression in many patients taking opioid medications. Which works better for smoking cessation-e-cigarettes or nicotine gum? Reminders about teratogenic drugs and those that cause hyperpigmentation. Interdisciplinary care with pharmacists in the office does not help just the patients. We have several articles on diabetes-early diagnosis, and consideration of screening for prediabetes as a quality standard-with added commentaries about this possibility.