News

Primary care practices are the backbone of childhood immunization delivery, and have become indispensable in the promotion of public health. Over the last decades, however, the skyrocketing costs of vaccines have gone from a minor consideration in the overhead of a pediatric practice to one of significant financial burden, largely because of new vaccines.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur suddenly without warning. In children and adolescents, the leading cause of anaphylaxis is exposure to food allergens. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published 2 clinical reports that discuss guidance on appropriate epinephrine use for anaphylaxis and developing an emergency action plan for patients at risk.

The vaping culture of using non–cigarette tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) is the latest risky trend among adolescents and young adults. Vaping is the use of high-tech, advanced electronic devices such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), refillable atomizers, and other tobacco products as an alternative or in addition to regular cigarettes.

On August 8, 2016, Mitch Zeller, JD, blogged on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website that beginning that day, federal law would protect the public-especially kids-from the dangers of all tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), vapes, and more. The law, known as the Deeming Rule, would regulate the largely unregulated market that he referred to as having been the “wild, wild West.”

There is a trend in internal medicine to get away from doing complete physical examinations on each visit, with a minimalistic approach to a healthy patient. I am not prepared to go that far just yet, but I have modified my examination in many ways over the years. Here are some gems I have unearthed.

stock image of pediatrician speaking to patient and parent

It seems that our healthcare system is overdue for an integrity/honesty overhaul. Let’s review how we can begin the process of restoration at the practice and healthcare system levels.

For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara discusses a large cohort study published in JAMA Psychiatry that examined whether children with a positive strep test are more likely than their counterparts to develop mental disorders, particularly tic disorders and OCD.

Most physicians are not adhering to recommendations on otitis media management, according to a new report from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF).

Improving care coordination across the healthcare continuum has the potential to dramatically improve patient care, reduce duplicative tests and procedures, and positively impact care quality. This whitepaper explores data coordination that more easily locates records, reduces test and procedure duplication - and boosts your quality of care.