Oral

The inefficiencies in the US health care system have been the primary motivator behind the push to identify ways to address these problems. For some years now, the restructuring of the primary care delivery system has been focused on as a potential solution and the recent health care reform legislation has solidified some of these efforts into policy. Increased attention to prevention along with improvements in quality of care and management of chronic conditions are expected to lead to better health outcomes and reduced inefficiencies in delivery of health care. The presenters in this session will discuss the latest trends in delivery of primary health care. These trends include innovative ways of engaging Medicaid beneficiaries in healthy behaviors, teaching chronic disease self-management led by lay persons, establishing the importance of delays in receipt of care in short and long term health outcomes among patients with diabetes, training physicians in management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and improving HIV testing among high-risk populations. These studies provide insights on the most effective changes in delivery of primary care services in the future.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify innovative trends in delivery of primary health care services 2. Discuss approaches to disease prevention and screening 3. Discuss approaches to improving health outcomes among chronically ill populations

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)