AAFP News Now -- American Academy of Family Physicians

Stock photo showing male and female health care professionals

U.S. Census Data Indicate Physician Workforce May Be Smaller, Younger Then Expected, Study Says

(11/24/2009) -- A recent Dartmouth College study that used U.S. Census Bureau data to make projections about the physician workforce concluded that the future physician workforce will be smaller and younger than indicated by projections that used the AMA's Physician Masterfile data. If this proves true, shortages of primary care physicians will be worse than projected, as will patients' access to primary care, according to an AAFP physician workforce expert. More

Study Results Confirm PCMH Success in Improving Quality, Reducing Costs

(11/23/2009) -- The patient-centered medical home, or PCMH, continues to demonstrate its value to the health care system in terms of improving quality, enhancing access and reducing costs, according to a new study published by the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, or PCPCC. More

New Form Designed to Help Medical Journals Avoid Conflicts of Interest

(11/23/2009) -- The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, or ICMJE, is testing a new uniform disclosure form for reporting potential conflicts of interest among authors. The 14 journals that are ICMJE members, including the Annals of Internal Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the New England Journal of Medicine, have adopted the form. More

AAFP Applauds House Passage of Bill to Fix Broken Payment Formula

(11/20/2009) -- The AAFP has hailed House passage of a bill that would provide a permanent fix for the sustainable growth rate, or SGR formula, as a victory for both Medicare patients and their physicians. More

CMS Announces Extension of 2010 Medicare Provider Enrollment Period

(11/19/2009) -- CMS has extended Medicare's 2010 provider participation enrollment end date to Jan. 31, 2010. This gives physicians currently participating in Medicare or considering participation in 2010 one month beyond the normal Dec. 31 cutoff to make a participation decision. More

Recent Decline in U.S. Smoking Prevalence Stalls

Smoking Rates Vary Widely by Race, Ethnicity, Education

(11/19/2009) -- The United States likely will fall well short of the Healthy People 2010 objective of reducing the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults to less than 12 percent. According to a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or MMWR, article released Nov. 13, the proportion of U.S. adults who were cigarette smokers declined from 24.1 percent in 1998 to 19.8 percent in 2007. However, the figure increased to 20.6 percent in 2008. More

USPSTF Makes Sweeping Changes to Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations

Task Force No Longer Recommends Routine Mammograms in Women Ages 40-49

(11/18/2009) -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF, has updated its recommendations for breast cancer screening with some significant changes, including a recommendation against routine screening mammography for women ages 40-49 who aren't at increased risk for breast cancer. More

Demand Outpacing Supply of H1N1, Seasonal Flu Vaccines

Majority of People Seeking Vaccination Against Novel Virus Unsuccessful

(11/18/2009) -- The overwhelming majority of Americans who have tried to get vaccinated against the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus have been unable to do so, according to a recent poll from the Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston. Meanwhile, the CDC said on Nov. 9 that nearly 80 percent of seasonal flu vaccine already has been distributed to vaccine providers, and a surge in uptake may leave supplies short of demand. (Discuss this story on the AAFP News Now bulletin board.) More