A retomada do Programa Mais Médicos em 2023 / La reanudación del Programa Mais Médicos en 2023 / The resumption of the Mais Médicos Program in 2023

RESUMO: Os vazios assistenciais e a demanda por médicos no Sistema Único de Saúde são problemas crônicos, principalmente nas regiões mais vulneráveis do Norte e Nordeste e em áreas periféricas de centros urbanos. Frente a essa necessidade, o governo federal está recompondo o Programa Mais Médicos para o Brasil, por meio dos ministérios da Saúde, da Educação e da Fazenda. Os principais eixos do programa são a provisão de médicos na Atenção Primária em Saúde e a formação desses profissionais, nessa versão associados à especialização e mestrado profissional, tendo como referência a concepção de Atenção Primária à Saúde integral. Nesta nota de conjuntura, trazemos informações sobre a trajetória oficial deste movimento de retomada, recuperando brevemente características e avanços proporcionados por essa política - instituída primeiramente em 2013 - e apresentando peculiaridades da versão atual, proposta pewla medida provisória n. 1.165, de 20 de março de 2023, convertida em lei (n. 14.621/2023) e sancionada em julho deste ano.

RESUMEN: Las brechas de asistencia y la demanda de médicos en el Sistema Único de Salud son problemas crónicos, especialmente en las regiones más vulnerables del Norte y del Noreste y en las zonas periféricas de los centros urbanos. Ante esta necesidad, el gobierno federal está recomponiendo el Programa Mais Médicos para Brasil, a través de los ministerios de Salud, Educación y Hacienda. Los principales ejes del programa son la provisión de médicos en Atención Primaria de Salud y la formación de estos profesionales, en esta versión asociada a la especialización y maestría profesional, con referencia al concepto de atención primaria para la salud integral. En esta nota de coyuntura, traemos información sobre la trayectoria oficial de este movimiento de reanudación, recuperando brevemente las características y los avances proporcionados por esta política - establecida por primera vez en 2013 - y presentando las peculiaridades de la versión actual, propuesta por la medida provisional n. 1.165, del 20 de marzo de 2023, convertida en ley (n. 14.621/2023) y sancionado en julio de este año.

ABSTRACT: Healthcare gaps and the demand for physicians in the Brazilian Health System are chronic problems, especially in the most vulnerable regions of the North and Northeast and in peripheral areas of urban centers. In view of this need, the federal government is recomposing the Mais Médicos Program for Brazil, through the ministries of Health, Education and Finance. The main axes of the program are the provision of doctors in Primary Health Care and the training of these professionals, in this version associated with specialization and professional master's, with reference to the concept of primary care for integral health. In this note of conjuncture, we bring information about the official trajectory of this recovery movement, briefly recovering characteristics and advances provided by this policy - first established in 2013 - and presenting peculiarities of the current version, proposed by provisional measure n. 1.165, of March 20th, 2023, converted into law (n. 14.621/2023) and sanctioned in July of this year.

No estamos solos. Motivos de consulta al gabinete médico-jurídico del sindicato médico de Murcia / We are not alone. Reasons for consulting the medical-legal cabinet of the medical union of Murcia

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Impact of the California breast density law on primary care physicians.

PURPOSE: To investigate primary physician awareness of the California Breast Density Notification Law and its impact on primary care practice. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to 174 physicians within a single primary care network system 10 months after California's breast density notification law took effect. The survey assessed physicians' awareness of the law, perceived changes in patient levels of concern about breast density, and physician comfort levels in handling breast density management issues. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 77 physicians (45%). Roughly half of those surveyed (49%) reported no knowledge of the breast density notification legislation. Only 32% of respondents noted an increase in patient levels of concern about breast density compared to prior years. The majority were only "somewhat comfortable" (55%) or "not comfortable" (12%) with breast density questions, and almost one-third (32%) had referred patients to a breast health clinic for these discussions. A total of 75% of those surveyed would be interested in more specific education on the subject. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness among primary care clinicians of the California Breast Density Notification Law is low, and many do not feel comfortable answering breast density-related patient questions. Breast imagers and institutions may need to devote additional time and resources to primary physician education in order for density notification laws to have significant impact on patient care.

Payment generosity and physician acceptance of Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Using 2008 physician survey data, we estimate the relationship between the generosity of fees paid to primary care physicians under Medicaid and Medicare and his/her willingness to accept new patients covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or both programs (i.e., dually enrolled patients). Findings reveal physicians are highly responsive to fee generosity under both programs. Also, their willingness to accept patients under either program is affected by the generosity of fees under the other program, i.e., there are significant spillover effects between Medicare and Medicare fee generosity. We also simulate how physicians in 2008 would have likely responded to Medicaid and Medicare payment reforms similar to those embodied in the 2010 Affordable Care Act, had they been permanently in place in 2008. Our findings suggest that "Medicaid Parity" for primary care physicians would have likely dramatically improved physician willingness to accept new Medicaid patients while only slightly reducing their willingness to accept new Medicare patients. Also, many more primary care physicians would have been willing to treat dually enrolled patients.

Physician-targeted financial incentives and primary care physicians' self-reported ability to provide high-quality primary care.

OBJECTIVE: High-quality primary care is envisaged as the centerpiece of the emerging health care delivery system under the Affordable Care Act. Reengineering the US health care system into a primary care-driven model will require widespread, rapid changes in the management and organization of primary care physicians (PCPs). Financial incentives to influence physician behavior have been attempted with various approaches, without empirical evidence of their effectiveness in improving care quality. This study examines the above research question adjusting for the patient-centeredness of the practice climate, a major contextual factor affecting PCPs' ability to provide high-quality care. METHODS: Secondary data on a sample of salaried PCPs (n = 1733) from the nation-wide Community Tracking Study Physician Survey 2004-2005 were subject to generalized multinomial logit modeling to examine associations between financial incentives and PCPs' self-reported ability to provide quality care. RESULTS: After adjusting for patient-centered medical home (PCMH)-consistent practice environment, financial incentive aligned with care quality/care content is positively associated with PCPs' ability to provide high-quality care. An encouraging finding was that financial incentives aligned with clinic productivity/profitability do not to impede high-quality care in a PCMH practice environment. CONCLUSION: Financial incentives targeted to care quality or content indicators may facilitate rapid transformation of the health system to a primary care-driven system. The study provides empirical evidence of the utility of practically deployable financial incentives to facilitate high-quality primary care.

Comparative efficiency assessment of primary care service delivery models using data envelopment analysis.

This paper compares the relative productive efficiencies of four models of primary care service delivery using the data envelopment analysis method on 130 primary care practices in Ontario, Canada. A quality-controlled measure of output and two input scenarios are employed: one with full-time-equivalent labour inputs and the other with total expenditures. Regression analysis controls for the mix of patients in the practice population. Overall, we find that community health centres fare the worst when it comes to relative efficiency scores.

Collaborative psychiatric consultations: Guidance for primary care providers who prescribe psychotropic medications for children.

A 2010 Minnesota law required the Department of Human Services to develop a collaborative psychiatric consultation service for primary care practitioners and other health care professionals, with an initial focus on those who prescribe medications for children. Use of the service will be required for prescribers of certain psychotropic medications for children enrolled in fee-for-service Medical Assistance, the state's Medicaid program. This article discusses the impetus for the law, explains the new medication review requirements, and describes plans for the consultation service.