A policy brief is a concise document aimed at presenting a specific policy issue, supporting evidence, and actionable recommendations to assist decision-makers in making informed choices. It is designed for various audiences, including federal, state, and local leaders, health professionals, and the media. Key elements of an effective policy brief include a clear title, a succinct background summary, objective facts, visual aids, evidence-informed policy alternatives, and a brief list of sources. The brief should define the problem, emphasize its importance, maintain a narrow focus, use clear headings and visuals, avoid jargon, and provide feasible solutions while considering all relevant stakeholders.
The research discusses the challenges and projections related to the primary care workforce in the U.S., highlighting a significant shortage of primary care providers by 2040 due to factors like population growth, aging, and increased healthcare demand. It emphasizes the need for expanding graduate medical education, community-based training programs, and a comprehensive strategy to improve the primary care workforce, including better funding and reduced administrative burdens. The research also notes the increasing roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in primary care, suggesting that their roles should be optimized to address future healthcare needs effectively.
A survey conducted by the American Board of Family Medicine involving nearly 10,000 family physicians found that only 26.2% are very satisfied with their Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems, while 33.8% are dissatisfied. This dissatisfaction underscores persistent issues with EHR usability, interoperability, and the burden they impose on primary care physicians. The survey aims to improve EHR functionality and transparency, highlighting the need for user-centric design to enhance physician experience and reduce burnout.
The report by Hendrix et al. highlights a significant dissatisfaction among family physicians with their electronic health records (EHR) systems, with only 26.2% expressing high satisfaction. Alex H. Krist’s commentary underscores the importance of clinician satisfaction as a key measure of EHR quality, similar to patient satisfaction in healthcare. He points out that while EHRs are crucial for primary care, their poor design and documentation demands contribute to clinician burnout. Krist advocates for a national standard to evaluate EHR satisfaction, aiming for at least 85% satisfaction among clinicians, and discusses the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance EHR functionality, contingent on the quality of data and system design.
Holmgren A, Hendrix N, Maisel N, Everson J, Bazemore A, Rotenstein L, Phillips RL, Adler-Milstein J. Electronic Health Record Usability, Satisfaction, and Burnout for Family Physicians. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(8):e2426956-e2426956. PMID: 39207759 PMCID: PMC11362862 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.26956
The study investigates the relationship between electronic health record (EHR) usability, physician satisfaction, and burnout among family physicians. It reveals that higher EHR usability, particularly in data entry, workflow alignment, and information retrieval, is associated with increased satisfaction and reduced burnout. While many physicians use efficiency strategies like templates and scribes, these only enhance satisfaction for those with highly usable EHRs. The study underscores the importance of improving EHR systems to enhance usability, reduce burnout, and ultimately improve patient care and clinician satisfaction.
The study discusses gender and race disparities in leadership within healthcare and academic medicine, focusing on the underrepresentation of women and minorities in leadership roles. It highlights a qualitative study on early career women family physicians in the U.S., revealing that many view traditional leadership roles as bureaucratic and unappealing, preferring to focus on patient care. Despite work-family tensions, these women engage in unrecognized leadership activities that enhance practice efficiency and patient care. The study suggests redefining leadership to include these contributions and promoting models that prioritize collaboration and work-life balance to increase women’s representation in leadership positions.
The research discusses the feasibility and effectiveness of linking electronic health records (EHRs) from the American Board of Family Medicine to individual-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) using Protected Identification Keys (PIKs). The study, which analyzed data from over 2.8 million patients between 2019 and 2021, found a high success rate in assigning PIKs, with 99.2% of patients receiving them. The research highlights that patients with conditions like hypertension and diabetes had slightly higher odds of being matched to ACS data, although these differences were minimal. The findings suggest that such data linkage is feasible and can significantly enhance research on health disparities and social determinants of health, supporting evidence-based policymaking.
The article explores the underutilization of electronic health record (EHR) data in primary care and the transformative potential of clinical registries like the PRIME Registry. It highlights how the PRIME Registry, which collects EHR data from over 600 practices, can be used for research, quality improvement, and shaping health policy. The collaboration between the American Board of Family Medicine, the Arkansas State Department of Health, and the CDC aims to expand the registry’s use, particularly for monitoring blood pressure treatment. The article underscores the importance of partnerships and innovative data management to enhance healthcare delivery and policy-making.
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has enhanced membership diversity since 2008 by adapting its nomination and election processes to include a choice architecture that emphasizes demographic diversity, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, and geography, while upholding core membership standards. This includes virtual seminars on diversity and a structured voting system, leading to a significant increase in women and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups among new members, though geographic diversity remains a challenge. NAM’s approach could serve as a model for other organizations seeking to improve diversity.
Phillips RL, Nielsen M, Cohen DJ, Hughes LS, Bitton A, Bazemore AW. The Essential Role of Primary Health Care for Health Security. J Am Board Fam Med. 2024;37(Supplement1):S21-S25. PMID: 39586639 DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2023.230449R1
The conference aimed to enhance Primary Health Care (PHC) to improve health equity, mental health, pandemic preparedness, and public health by fostering collaboration among U.S. agencies and global stakeholders. Led by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), the initiative seeks to broaden the scope of primary care through a Primary Care Action Plan. Despite progress, there is a call for a more comprehensive strategy to address healthcare challenges, including cybersecurity issues. In July 2023, experts from over 20 countries and representatives from the World Health Organization and U.S. health agencies convened to discuss revitalizing primary health care, emphasizing the need for federal leadership and innovative payment models to strengthen services for underserved populations. The anticipated U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Action Plan has not yet been launched, highlighting a missed opportunity for coordinated efforts.
Rotenstein LS, Hendrix N, Phillips RL, Adler-Milstein J. Team and Electronic Health Record Features and Burnout Among Family Physicians. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(11):e2442687-e2442687. PMID: 39499518 PMCID: PMC11539011 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.42687
This study focuses on burnout among healthcare professionals, particularly family physicians, in relation to electronic health record (EHR) usage and team efficiency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings indicate that high team efficiency and appropriate EHR use at home are linked to lower burnout odds, while value-based care participation may increase EHR workload and contribute to burnout. The research suggests that improving team support, optimizing EHR experiences, and enhancing practice structure and staffing could mitigate burnout and improve the sustainability of primary care practices.
This study explores the impact of racial and ethnic diversity in healthcare, focusing on the role of underrepresented in medicine (URiM) family physicians in serving Medicaid beneficiaries. It highlights the challenges faced by minority physicians, such as administrative burdens and underrepresentation, and emphasizes the importance of diversity in the medical workforce to improve health outcomes and access to care for minority populations. The study also examines the characteristics of family physicians, noting that URiM physicians tend to care for more racially diverse patient panels and are crucial in addressing health disparities.
