Prevention Matters

The use of electronic records significantly increasing how fast patients with Chlamydia are treated was named the “Best Prevention Idea of the Week,” while children on Medicaid not receiving all required preventive screening services was named the “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week."

BEST

Chlamydia Treated Sooner When Docs Use E-Records

Switching to electronic medical records can significantly boost how quickly patients with the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia are treated, a new study shows.

Researchers found that an electronic medical record system more than doubled the percentage of patients treated within two weeks of diagnosis. The longer a sexually transmitted infection goes untreated, "the more risk there is of onward transmission and of clinical complications," the authors wrote. "Appropriate use of technology greatly improves our ability to treat patients rapidly, and we should strive to use all available methods for the good of our patients and the betterment of public health."

WORST

Medicaid Children Are Not Receiving All Required Preventive Screening Services

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (IG) has just released a new report (OEI-05-08-00520) concluding that “Most children in nine selected States are not fully benefiting from Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) comprehensive screening services.”

For anyone concerned about the importance of expanding coverage for clinical preventive services under health reform, this report is a reminder that coverage alone isn’t enough to assure access.

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) highlights the continued concern of disparities in our healthcare system. As in previous reports, the disparities relate to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and "are prevalent in almost all areas of healthcare, including preventive care, treatment of acute conditions, and managment of chronic diseases".

The widest gap was seen between low-income and high-income patients, followed by Hispanics and non-Hispanics, then blacks and whites. The report also highlights the importance of the new healthcare reform law. Not surprisingly it showed that uninsured people were far less likely to receive preventive services, including mammograms, Pap smears, dental care, counseling about diet and exercise, and flu vaccination.

Christianne Johnson
Program Manager
Partnership for Prevention