Posts Tagged ‘program’
Dynavax Selects Clinical Candidate In Universal Flu Vaccine Program
Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) announced that it has selected a clinical vaccine candidate for its novel Universal Flu program, completed key preclinical studies, and is reviewing clinical plans with the FDA in anticipation of initiating a Phase I study by mid-year…
Training in childhood obesity management in the United States: a survey of pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics and family medicine residency program directors
Background:
Information about the availability and effectiveness of childhood obesity training during residency is limited.
Methods:
We surveyed residency program directors from pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds), and family medicine residency programs between September 2007 and January 2008 about childhood obesity training offered in their programs.
Results:
The response rate was 42.2% (299/709) and ranged by specialty from 40.1% to 45.4%. Overall, 52.5% of respondents felt that childhood obesity training in residency was extremely important, and the majority of programs offered training in aspects of childhood obesity management including prevention (N=240, 80.3%), diagnosis (N=282, 94.3%), diagnosis of complications (N=249, 83.3%), and treatment (N=242, 80.9%). However, only 18.1% (N=54) of programs had a formal childhood obesity curriculum with variability across specialties. Specifically, 35.5% of IM-Peds programs had a formal curriculum compared to only 22.6% of pediatric and 13.9% of family medicine programs (p<0.01). Didactic instruction was the most commonly used training method but was rated as only somewhat effective by 67.9% of respondents using this method. The most frequently cited significant barrier to implementing childhood obesity training was competing curricular demands (58.5%).
Conclusions:
While most residents receive training in aspects of childhood obesity management, deficits may exist in training quality with a minority of programs offering a formal childhood obesity curriculum. Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity, a greater emphasis should be placed on development and use of effective training strategies suitable for all specialties training physicians to care for children.
Walgreens Pharmacies Remain In Washington Medicaid Program; Talks Continue With State Of Washington
Walgreens (NYSE: WAG)(NASDAQ: WAG) will continue filling Medicaid prescriptions at its Washington state pharmacies through March 15. The company, which operates 121 pharmacies in Washington, announced on Jan. 13 it would stop filling Medicaid prescriptions in 64 of its stores because of continued reduction in reimbursement under the State of Washington Medicaid program…
Accreditation council for graduate medical education (ACGME) annual anesthesiology residency and fellowship program review: a “report card” model for continuous improvement
Background:The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires an annual evaluation of all ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs to assess program quality. The results of this evaluation must be used to improve the program. This manuscript describes a metric to be used in conducting ACGME-mandated annual program review of ACGME-accredited anesthesiology residencies and fellowships.Methods:A variety of metrics to assess anesthesiology residency and fellowship programs are identified by the authors through literature review and considered for use in constructing a program “report card.”Results:Metrics used to assess program quality include success in achieving American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) certification, performance on the annual ABA/American Society of Anesthesiology In-Training Examination, performance on mock oral ABA certification examinations, trainee scholarly activities (publications and presentations), accreditation site visit and internal review results, ACGME and alumni survey results, National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) results, exit interview feedback, diversity data and extensive program/rotation/faculty/curriculum evaluations by trainees and faculty. The results are used to construct a “report card” that provides a high-level review of program performance and can be used in a continuous quality improvement process.Conclusions:An annual program review is required to assess all ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs to monitor and improve program quality. We describe an annual review process based on metrics that can be used to focus attention on areas for improvement and track program performance year-to-year. A “report card” format is described as a high-level tool to track educational outcomes.
State Round Up: Florida Considers Eliminating Popular Medicaid Plan; State Program For Low-Income Adults Changing In Minn.
Health News Florida: “This could be the year the state of Florida eliminates its popular MediPass program, which gives more than half a million Medicaid recipients, mostly aged and disabled Floridians, an alternative to HMOs. Hints of its demise showed up in the governor’s budget and letters from a powerful lawmaker…
Ohio Changes Medicaid Drug Program, N.C. Weighs Cuts In Medicaid Personal Care Services
The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Ohio’s seven Medicaid managed care plans this month will make changes in the prescription drug plans that cover about 1.5 million people, although many of those beneficiaries will not face increased costs. The changes are expected to save the state about $243 million…
Discrimination against international medical graduatesin the United States residency program selection process
Background:Available evidence suggests that international medical graduates have improved the availability of U.S. health care while maintaining academic standards. We wondered whether studies had been conducted to address how international graduates were treated in the post-graduate selection process compared to U.S. graduates.Methods:We conducted a Medline search for research on the selection process.Results:Two studies provide strong evidence that psychiatry and family practice programs respond to identical requests for applications at least 80% more often for U.S. medical graduates than for international graduates. In a third study, a survey of surgical program directors, over 70% perceived that there was discrimination against international graduates in the selection process.Conclusions:There is sufficient evidence to support action against discrimination in the selection process. Medical organizations should publish explicit proscriptions of discrimination against international medical graduates (as the American Psychiatric Association has done) and promote them in diversity statements. They should develop uniform and transparent policies for program directors to use to select applicants that minimize the possibility of non-academic discrimination, and the accreditation organization should monitor whether it is occurring. Whether there should be protectionism for U.S. graduates or whether post-graduate medical education should be an unfettered meritocracy needs to be openly discussed by medicine and society.
Participation rates and representativeness of African Americans recruited to a health promotion program
When using community-based participatory methods to develop health promotion programs for specific communities, it is important to determine if participation differs based on sociodemographics and the extent to which program participants are demographically representative of the target community, especially when non-random recruitment methods are used. We evaluated rates of participating in a health promotion program among African American residents in an urban community and determined if program participants were representative of community residents in terms of sociodemographic factors. While participation in the program was modest, participation did not differ based on psychological factors or body mass index. However, individuals who were unemployed were significantly more likely to participate in the program compared with those who were employed. Our sample included a greater proportion of individuals who only had a high school education compared with community residents but was similar to community residents in terms of gender, marital status and employment.
Pilot study of a cognitive intervention program for persons with multiple sclerosis
Cognitive impairments are prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS) and can significantly limit participation in daily activities. Although the clinical depiction of cognitive impairments in MS has been well investigated, strategies to manage cognitive difficulties are less well studied. This pilot study tested a 5-week, group-based community program addressing strategies to self-manage MS cognitive changes. The goals of the program were to increase participants’ knowledge of cognitive impairments, increase levels of self-efficacy to manage cognitive difficulties and increase use of management strategies. Participants were taught various cognitive compensatory strategies and practiced their implementation between sessions. Thirty-five individuals with MS with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairments participated in the program. All participants exhibited increased knowledge of cognitive impairments and their daily impact. Participants significantly increased levels of self-efficacy in their ability to manage cognitive difficulties (
San Diego’s PACE Program Lowering Cost For Seniors Who Want To Retain Independence
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that an elderly care program is allowing senior citizens to retain their independence by providing medical care and home assistance through a nonprofit program.The program, St. Paul’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, “functions like a health maintenance organization, is the only one of its kind in the county and one of 70 nationwide…
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