Background: Patient navigation programs have shown promise for improving health but are not widely used in obstetric care. Our objective was to understand obstetric provider perspectives on how to implement patient navigation to optimize care during the postpartum period for low-income patients. Method: Focus groups were conducted with obstetric…

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with adverse health outcomes for the pregnant individual and their baby. Screening approaches for GDM have undergone several iterations, introducing variability in practice among healthcare providers. As such, our study aimed to explore the views of antenatal providers regarding their practices of,…

The importance of collaboration in maternity care in the U.S. is apparent with deficits in both care disparities and quality, despite disproportionate expenditures to improve care. Utilization of experienced, well-trained clinicians, such as obstetric and midwife hospitalists, offers a strategy to improve outcomes, reduce cost, and enhance patient…

Surgical anatomy is taught early in medical school training. The literature shows that many physicians, especially surgical specialists, think that anatomical knowledge of medical students is inadequate and nesting of anatomical sciences later in the clinical curriculum may be necessary. Quantitative data concerning this perception of an…

Effective early detection strategies for ovarian cancer do not exist. Current screening guidelines recommend against routine screening using CA-125 alone or in combination with transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS). In this study, the authors used the 2008 "DocStyles" survey to measure clinician beliefs about the effectiveness of CA-125 and…

Independent academic medical centers (IAMC) are challenged to develop and support a research enterprise and maintain primary goals of healthcare delivery and financial solvency. Strategies for promoting translational research have been shown to be effective at institutions in the top level of federal funding, but not for smaller IAMCs. The…

Background: Medical specialties, including surgery, obstetrics, anesthesia, critical care, and trauma, have adopted simulation technology for measuring clinical competency as a routine part of their residency training programs; yet, simulation technologies have rarely been adapted or used for psychiatry training. Objective: The authors describe…

The authors sought to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of initiating a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for alcohol and other drug use curriculum across multiple residency programs. SBIRT project faculty in the internal medicine (traditional, primary care internal medicine, medicine/pediatrics),…

Introduction: Continuing medical education (CME) courses are an essential component of professional development. Research indicates a continued need for understanding how and why physicians select certain CME courses, as well as the differences between CME course takers and nontakers. Purpose: Obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs) are health care…

Physician cognition, metacognition and affect may have an impact upon the quality of clinical reasoning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between measures of physician metacognition and affect and patient outcomes in obstetric practice. Reflective coping (RC), proactive coping, need for cognition (NFC), tolerance for…

The relationship between obstetrician attitudes and patient outcomes from intrapartum care was examined. Obstetrician attitudes were assessed utilizing a newly-designed pilot 35-item obstetrician attitude questionnaire (OAQ). Twelve obstetricians completed the OAQ, who provided intra-partum care to 4,149 women. Outcome measures included delivery…

After struggling as a surgical specialty, obstetrics and gynecology initiated its "women's physician" program in the 1970s. This program officially defined the mostly male obstetricians and gynecologists at that time as women's primary care physicians. Using archival data, this article explains this development as a response to the specialty's…

Context: It has long been a concern that professional liability problems disproportionately affect the delivery of obstetrical services to women living in rural areas. Michigan, a state with a large number of rural communities, is considered to be at risk for a medical liability crisis. Purpose: This study examined whether higher malpractice…

Context: Scope of practice is an important factor in both training and recruiting rural family physicians. Purpose: To assess rural Idaho family physicians' scope of practice and to examine variations in scope of practice across variables such as gender, age and employment status. Methods: A survey instrument was developed based on a literature…

Context: Past research has documented rural physician and health care professional shortages. Purpose: Rural hospital chief executive officers' (CEOs') reported shortages of health professionals and perceptions about recruiting and retention are compared in Illinois and Arkansas. Methods: A survey, previously developed and sent to 28 CEOs in…