https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from American Academy of Family Physicians In Ontario, primary care home visits, which help older adults who are homebound or have difficulty getting to a clinic, increased during the 2010s but declined after a 2019 policy change reduced payment incentives and the COVID-19 pandemic began. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-primary-home-older-adults-declined.html Medical economics Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:27:49 EST news688713961 A study published in The Annals of Family Medicine examined how different types of support for 32 primary care clinics affected opioid prescribing and overall costs using a 2 x 2 design. Clinics were divided into four groups: education about opioid prescribing and regular feedback on their prescribing patterns only; education and feedback plus help changing clinic workflows; education and feedback plus coaching for prescribers; or education and feedback plus both clinic workflow support and prescriber coaching. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-ways-opioid-deprescribing-primary.html Medications Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:26:40 EST news688713902 In a study appearing in The Annals of Family Medicine, researchers examined whether people who follow higher-GI or higher-GL diets have different risks of developing lung cancer. They used data from 101,732 adults in the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial cohort who filled out a detailed diet questionnaire when they joined the study (1993–2001). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-higher-glycemic-index-linked-lung.html Oncology & Cancer Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:57:02 EST news683269021 Researchers examined health care challenges faced by adult adoptees and how being adopted affects relationships with their clinicians. U.S. adult adoptees completed a mixed-methods online survey. A total of 204 participants were included in the final analysis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-clinicians-lack-knowledge-adoptees-patient.html Medical economics Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:49:03 EST news683268542 A recent study examined whether higher educational debt among physicians is associated with more hours worked per week and whether both are independently associated with burnout symptoms among early-career family physicians. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-high-debt-hours-burnout-symptoms.html Medical economics Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:14:02 EDT news677837641 A recent study tested whether a referral order inside the Epic electronic health record (EHR) could help primary care clinicians refer patients to community-based diabetes prevention programs (DPPs), an important public health strategy to reduce incident type 2 diabetes, and whether patients enrolled after referral. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-ehr-referral-strategy-patients-prediabetes.html Diabetes Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:12:03 EDT news677837521 Fear of pain can deter some patients from choosing intrauterine devices (IUDs). In a study appearing in The Annals of Family Medicine, researchers investigated whether intrauterine device (IUD) insertion guided by ultrasound reduces procedure time and pain compared to conventional methods. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-ultrasound-guidance-iud-insertion-conventional.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:08:04 EDT news677837282 The use of secure messaging, which lets patients communicate with clinicians or care teams through an online portal, has increased in recent years. While secure messaging can increase access to care, answering a high volume of messages can burden care teams. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-white-veteran-high-users-online.html Medical economics Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:19:03 EDT news672985141 Childhood obesity rates differ by ethnicity, yet data on nativity for Latino youth in primary care are limited. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-born-latinos-higher-obesity-foreign.html Overweight & Obesity Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:16:03 EDT news672984962 Clinical integration involves coordinating ongoing health care services across health professionals, facilities, and support systems to meet patient care needs. In a study published in The Annals of Family Medicine, researchers aimed to map out barriers and facilitators perceived by family physicians in clinical integration to guide future intervention development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-family-physicians-clinical.html Medical economics Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:12:03 EDT news672984722 Michigan's Collaborative for Type 2 Diabetes (MCT2D), a statewide population health collaborative quality initiative, analyzed nearly 1,000 physician-submitted patient case summaries and needs assessments, finding that physicians needed help managing the burden of prior authorization. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-web-based-tool-physicians-diabetes.html Diabetes Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:09:03 EDT news672984542 "Prescribing cascades" occur when one medication is used to treat or prevent a side effect of another medication. An unintentional cascade can arise when a patient's symptoms are mistaken for a new illness. In that case, the patient not only experiences the original side effect but also faces added risks from the second medication. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-reveals-medication-cascades-older-adults.html Medications Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:06:03 EDT news672984362 A study published in The Annals of Family Medicine examined if gaining housing increased rates of colorectal and breast cancer screening in a cohort of veterans who experience homelessness. The paper is titled "Is gaining housing associated with higher rates of cancer screening among US veterans experiencing homelessness?" https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-veterans-experiencing-homelessness-gain-housing.html Radiology & Imaging Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:03:02 EDT news672984181 Opioid use disorder (OUD) medication treatment saves lives, yet fewer than one‐third of people with OUD receive evidence‐based treatment with medication. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-primary-patients-opioid-disorder-treatment.html Addiction Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:59:03 EDT news672983941 A study appearing in The Annals of Family Medicine explored the geographic distribution of family physicians providing maternity care and identifies opportunities for family physicians to expand access to maternity care. The paper is titled "The geographic distribution of family physicians providing maternity care and opportunities for expanding access to care in rural areas." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-family-physicians-rural-maternity-outcomes.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:47:04 EDT news672983221 The Enhanced Primary Care Diabetes (EPCD) model is a nurse-led care delivery model that leverages multidisciplinary support to improve diabetes care quality in primary care settings. A study titled "Diabetes care delivery and outcomes by race and ethnicity: evaluation of an enhanced primary care practice model in the US Upper Midwest" in The Annals of Family Medicine assessed whether patients of different racial and ethnic groups benefited equally. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-uneven-diabetes-goals-patient-groups.html Diabetes Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:43:04 EDT news672982981 Large-scale, well-organized, and open datasets are necessary for primary care–focused artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) research and development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-considerations-advance-ai-primary.html Medical economics Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:37:05 EDT news672982621 Researchers at Pennsylvania State University examined whether machine learning could predict the risk and contributing factors of no-shows and late cancelations in primary care practices. They published their findings in a paper titled "Predicting Missed Appointments in Primary Care: A Personalized Machine Learning Approach" in The Annals of Family Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-machine-primary-clinics.html Medical economics Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:34:07 EDT news672982442 This study, based on an online survey of 1,135 adults demographically representative of the U.S. population, aimed to measure public perceptions of primary care spending. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-survey-americans-greatly-overestimate-primary.html Medical economics Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:59:03 EST news659696341 Adopted individuals often have limited access to their family medical history, complicating their health care. A study published in The Annals of Family Medicine explored the approaches of primary care physicians when caring for adult adopted patients with limited family medical history. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-primary-physicians-significant-gaps-adults.html Health Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:26:03 EST news657296762 In 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) struck down race-conscious admissions in higher education, reshaping affirmative action policies. A report in The Annals of Family Medicine examines the ruling's wide-reaching effects, particularly on underrepresented minority (URM) students, and proposes strategies for preserving diversity in higher education and professional fields, including medicine. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-special-strategies-diversity-medicine-reshaped.html Education Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:02:06 EST news657291719 Transgender and gender-diverse individuals often experience additional difficulties navigating health care. A study appearing in The Annals of Family Medicine examined the effectiveness of a peer health navigator pilot program in Saskatchewan, Canada that aimed to improve access to affirming health care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-peer-health-equity-patient-transgender.html Health Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:51:02 EST news657291061 Integrated behavioral health (IBH), which combines behavioral health and primary care, improves patient outcomes and experience. A study published in The Annals of Family Medicine evaluated whether a tailored, toolkit-based intervention could improve IBH and patient outcomes in primary care practices serving patients with multiple chronic medical and behavioral health conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-flexible-centric-approach-behavioral-health.html Health Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:50:03 EST news657291001 Depression impacts an estimated 18 million Americans each year, yet depression screening rarely occurs in the outpatient setting. A study appearing in The Annals of Family Medicine evaluated an AI-based machine learning biomarker tool that uses speech patterns to detect moderate to severe depression, aiming to improve access to screening in primary care settings. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-ai-based-tool-speech-patterns.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:49:02 EST news657290941 Research in family medicine is vital for improving patient care, health care systems, and population health. However, family medicine faces barriers to producing scholarly work, including high patient care demands and limited funding. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-family-medicine-department-chairs-high.html Medical research Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:47:03 EST news657290821 Despite the removal of the X-waiver requirement, which once restricted clinicians from prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD), only a small percentage of primary care clinicians currently prescribe medication for OUD (MOUD). A study published in The Annals of Family Medicine evaluated a structured support program to help small, rural primary care clinics improve their capacity to provide this treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-rural-primary-clinics-ability-buprenorphine.html Addiction Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:30:02 EST news657289801 Managing type 2 diabetes involves complex treatment, workload, and costs that impose a significant burden on individuals, impacting their physical and mental health. A study appearing in The Annals of Family Medicine examined how general practitioners (GPs) in China identify and respond to these burdens during patient consultations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-highlights-general-practitioner-strategies-ease.html Diabetes Tue, 28 Jan 2025 11:41:02 EST news657286861 Early detection of cognitive impairment is essential for improving patient outcomes, but primary care settings face significant challenges in screening. This special report summarizes key points and gaps in knowledge about methods for detecting cognitive impairment in primary care clinics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-primary-barriers-screening-early-cognitive.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:35:17 EST news651836116 The Bethesda Family Medicine Clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota, established a bi-monthly Early Pregnancy Dating & Risk Assessment Clinic in September 2022. The clinic introduced an integrated approach, combining point-of-care ultrasound with immediate, multidisciplinary first-trimester care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-trimester-addition-ultrasound.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:08:37 EST news651834513 In wars and conflict, family physicians are frequently called on to serve in expanded roles and are witnesses to the enormous mental and physical suffering of individuals, families, communities, and populations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-trauma-mental-health-interventions-family.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:54:02 EST news651833641