According to an analysis of 484 checkups published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, patients failed to get 46 percent of guideline-recommended preventive services and counseling during routine exams. Counseling about aspirin use, vision tests and flu immunization were least likely to be addressed, United Press International reports. Technological advances that give patients easy access to personal health records, coupled with automated reminders, may be part of the solution. The researchers further note the medical home may be one approach to providing comprehensive, cost-effective care by mobilizing resources within and outside the exam room. (United Press International;  American Journal of Preventive Medicine)

Webinar to offer insights into CPCI

AAFP and TransforMED will offer a free webinar on Feb. 1 on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation's Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative. Dr. Terry McGeeney, president and CEO of TransforMED, and Dr. Bruce Bagley, TransforMED's medical director for quality improvement, will be the lead speakers. The webinar will address what the CPCI is, what it means for primary care and how practices and providers can benefit. Presenters will provide details about the practice and community infrastructure requirements. The webinar begins at 11:00 AM PST/1:00 PM CST/2:00 PM EST. Click here to register. (AAFP)  

CBO report calls into question Medicare quality initiatives

Programs designed to cut Medicare spending and improve the quality of health care have mostly failed, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Hill reports the CBO says 20 years of trying to shift the program toward better outcomes instead of more procedures have yielded little progress. The CBO analyzed six programs designed to improve care coordination for patients with chronic diseases. On average, the programs made no difference or some were actually more expensive than the traditional payment system. (The Hill; CBO brief; CBO blog post)

Tonight: CMS/AAFP/AOA/ACP call to discuss primary care and ACOs

A conference call tonight will focus on helping family physicians with the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the Advance Payment ACO Model Program. The call will be hosted by the AAFP, CMS, the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Physicians. Call-in number: (800) 837-1935; Conference ID: 45474183. Joining the organizers' representatives will be CMS staff members Mai Pham, MD, and Maria Alexander; both are involved in shaping the programs. (AFFP News Now)

Physicians with an ownership stake in their practices were more likely than other physicians to think of EHR implementation as difficult or very difficult, according to the results of pre- and post-implementation surveys of physicians published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Twenty-seven percent of non-owners reported implementation was very difficult, compared to 38 percent of owners. Researchers also found that physicians who perceived their staff as innovative were less likely to view EHR implementation as difficult. The researchers conclude physicians who own their practice may need more external support for EHR implementation. Innovative clinical support staff may ease the process and contribute to its success. (CMIO; FiercePracticeManagement; JAMIA abstract)

The Healthcare Intelligence Network has created a chart illustrating just who is on the medical home team. The findings come from its 2011 Medical Home Performance Benchmarks survey. The top five professionals (other than physicians) on the PCMH team are nurse practitioners: 63.9 percent; case managers: 52.8 percent; medical assistants: 50 percent; RNs: 50 percent; and physician assistants: 47.2 percent. (HIN Chart of the Week)

Antidepressants are as safe and effective for depressed patients with comorbid general medical conditions as they are for those with depression alone, according to research published in the Annals of Family Medicine. In an accompanying editorial, Elizabeth Bayliss, MD, MSPH, Annals' associate editor, calls for implementation of effective, integrated, multidimensional care management for patients with complex care needs, specifically patients with depression and other chronic conditions. The increased attention being paid to patient-centered care may lead to reimbursement changes that encourage such changes, she says. (Annals editorial; Annals of Family Medicine)

Providers get online help with health IT adoption

The American Medical Association is giving physicians access to its Web-based tutorials on writing e-prescriptions, point-of-care documentation and planning for pre-visits. "Physician practices may need to redesign and reorganize their office routines so that they can successfully and efficiently adopt health IT," AMA President Dr. Peter Carmel said in a release. (Modern Healthcare -- registration required; AMA tutorials)

Baylor College of Medicine has received a $1.6 million award from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to develop a comprehensive cervical cancer screening program for high-risk, uninsured and underinsured women in Harris County. Dr. Matthew Anderson, the principal investigator, will partner with the Harris County Hospital District to pilot a medical home model for providing cervical cancer screenings and investigate why some women do not participate. A second goal will be to figure out how best to bring in women with abnormal pap test results for follow-up care. (BCM News)