This summary of legislation, with a special focus on maternal and child health and primary care, describes nearly 600 laws and resolutions pertinent to these issues passed by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in the 1996 legislative sessions. The summary includes health care reform and access issues, managed care and…

Presents a case study describing cooperative efforts between a community hospital and neighboring college to improve health care operations. Describes functions of a research team established to correlate efforts between The Memorial Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (CS)

Illustrates the three central tenets of primary health care (equality, systemic dynamics, and self-reliance) and highlights points of similarity with adult education. Demonstrates adult education's role in promoting health care: information, mobilization, and integration. (SK)

Describes a selection and acquisition procedure for identifying potentially relevant serial titles, focusing on a specialized collection in the area of health care systems. (Author/FM)

The California Child Health Disability Prevention (CHDP) program provides direct patient care by pediatric nurse practitioners in a school setting. Guidelines for instituting similar programs are provided. (JMF)

An opinion is offered of the Millis Commission report on pharmacy. Two major areas are considered: levels of pharmacy practice and roles for clinical pharmacy practice. It is concluded that the report failed to explore the issues facing pharmacy in the depth necessary to initiate meaningful change. (LBH)

A workshop series designed to change attitudes and culture in accident and emergency departments in Britain sought to influence clinical practice by sharing the experience of researchers and practitioners. It was considered an effective way to disseminate research, but real change must also involve other departments in the hospital. (SK)

A total of 200 patients were interviewed at 2 out-patient settings to quantify the patients' perspectives on their illness by measuring their requests for help. Results showed specific requests were made by most patients that focused either on the problem and/or the treatment. (GLR)

A total of 267 Nigerian mothers with children under the age of five years were investigated regarding the degree of their awareness and acceptance of oral rehydration therapy in the treatment of childhood diarrhea. Results indicate that only 39 percent of the mothers had heard of ORT in treating diarrhea. (RJC)

When medical student and resident education at a hospital-operated pediatric primary care clinic was threatened by chronic financial deficits, the clinic was reorganized as a faculty-operated prepaid group practice independent of the hospital. The group practice is cost-effective, promotes efficiency, and has improved faculty-hospital relations.…

In three decades, the osteopathic profession has moved from primarily manipulative therapy to full-service health care, replacing primary care emphasis with specialization. The profession should return to its original mission of primary care, establish links with allopathic medicine, and support new national policy for primary health care.…

Surveys were mailed to a sample of Michigan internists and family practitioners (N=2060). This study examined influences on (1) how confident physicians feel about treating a particular problem, (2) where they look for assistance and advice, and (3) what level of continued involvement in the patient's care they prefer. (MLW)

Rapid proliferation of school-based health centers is occurring during the time that school systems are seeking to improve educational practice. Absence of connection between school reorganization and provision of human services may lead to failure. The emerging community school model integrates quality education with effective health, mental…

Aim of review is to determine if published literature supports the hypothesis that primary care is a suitable setting in which mental-health problems in adolescents can be prevented by early detection and treatment. When offered, adolescent health checks have been well received. Primary care offers a setting for the prevention and detection of…

Patient-centered strategies derived from the stages of change model, and motivational interviewing are used to develop a structured, teachable, and acceptable intervention for clinicians to help patients consider their smoking during general medical consultations. The method is described. Results for the model, tested on 270 smokers, are…