The Suicidal Patient: Evaluation and Management.

Suicide rates in the United States increased from 20% to 30% between 2005 and 2015, and family physicians need evidence-based resources to address this growing clinical concern. Asking high-risk patients (e.g., patients with previous suicide attempts, substance misuse, low social support) about suicidal intent leads to better outcomes and does not increase the risk of suicide. There is insufficient evidence to support routine screening. Important elements of the patient history include the intent, plan, and means; availability of social support; previous attempts; and the presence of comorbid psychiatric illness or substance misuse. After intent has been established, inpatient and outpatient management should include ensuring patient safety and medical stabilization, activating support networks, and initiating therapy for psychiatric diseases. Care plans for patients with chronic suicidal ideation include these same steps and referral for specialty care. In the event of a completed suicide, physicians should provide support for family members who may be experiencing grief complicated by guilt, while also activating support networks and risk management systems.

It's time to start asking all patients about intimate partner violence.

Many people endure a menacing or violent romantic partner--yet few physicians ask about this risk, or actual harm. Here is a roadmap for screening.

Selected Abstracts From the Proceedings of the 2019 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Conference on Medical Student Education.

From January 31 through February 3, 2019 the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) held its 45th annual Conference on Medical Student Education in Jacksonville, Florida. STFM is a collaborative organization composed of members who are dedicated to teaching the discipline to learners of any level. The conference brings together members including physicians, administrators, behavioral scientists, researchers, residents, and students to learn from one another and improve the quality of family medicine education in the United States and Canada. Abstracts for all conference submissions can be found on the STFM website.1 Plenary speakers addressed topics related to health equity (Joanne Rooney, JD, LLM, EdD); discrimination and bias in the medical workplace (Roberto E. Montenegro, MD, PhD); and mentoring in family medicine (Beat Steiner, MD, MPH, STFM President). The STFM Committee on Medical Student Education reviewed the 14 completed educational research projects and selected six exemplary abstracts as the best of the conference. Criteria for inclusion included relevance to medical student education with a focus on family medicine education, study quality, and meaningful conclusions. Five of the abstracts appear in this collection. One has been published in the intervening time.2.