Hospital Readmissions from Patients' Perspectives.

Objectives: Healthcare expenditures in the United States have increased exponentially and hospital care accounts for one-third of these costs. Approximately 18% of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries are being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Engaging patients in the discharge process can help better identify patients' postdischarge needs and implement more effective readmission prevention strategies.

Reinvigorating pediatric care in an academic family medicine practice.

Background And Objectives: Primary care access is critical for all populations, and family physicians remain a vital link to pediatric care, especially for rural/underserved areas and adolescents. Pediatric visits to family physicians have declined nationally, a trend also noted at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Family Medicine Center (FMC). Academic FMCs are challenged with maintaining their pediatric population in a competitive environment and providing excellent pediatric training to prepare residents to care for children.

Evaluation of prenatal and pediatric group visits in a residency training program.

Background: It is well established that group visits offer an appropriate alternative to individual care with respect to efficiency, clinical effectiveness, and patient and provider satisfaction and are feasible in the training setting. The purpose of this paper is to describe resident educational outcomes from participation in prenatal and well-child group visits over the last 6 years.

Methods: We surveyed the 48 physicians who graduated from the University of North Carolina Family Medicine Residency from 2006 through 2011 regarding their current scope of practice, the number of group visits they experienced, and the educational value of group visits.

Secondhand smoke policies at state and county fairs.

Objectives: We sought to assess the smoking policies at state and county fairs in North Carolina.

Methods: We contacted North Carolina fair managers by telephone to solicit participation in a survey that assessed the extent to which fairs have written policies about smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, managers' beliefs concerning the health risks associated with SHS exposure, and specific reasons that might prompt managers to adopt smoke-free policies.

Results: Attempts were made to contact 47 fair managers, and 37 (66.

Influence of a tobacco-free hospital campus policy on smoking status of hospital employees.

Purpose: To examine the influence of a tobacco-free hospital campus (TFHC) policy on employee smoking behavior.

Design: Questionnaires immediately prior to, 6 months after, and 1 year after implementation of a TFHC policy.

Setting: University-affiliated hospital system.

Statewide diffusion of 100% tobacco-free college and university policies.

Objectives: As smoking among college students reached new highs in the 1990s, most interventions for college student smoking prevention focused on individual student knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. No published studies report on statewide movements to accelerate the adoption of tobacco-free policies on college campuses. The results of the first 4 years of the North Carolina Tobacco-Free Colleges Initiative are presented.

State adoption of 100% smoke-free acute non federal hospital campus policies.

To assess the number and percentage of acute care hospitals in the U.S. that have adopted smoke-free hospital campus (SFHC) policies, researchers conducted an assessment from January 2008 to May 2008 of available data on SFHC policy adoption in each state.

Using indoor air quality monitoring in 6 counties to change policy in North Carolina.

Introduction: Indoor air quality monitoring has become a valuable tool for states wanting to assess levels of particulate matter before and after smoke-free policies are implemented. However, many states face barriers in passing comprehensive smoke-free legislation, making such study comparisons unlikely. We used indoor air monitoring data to educate decision makers about the value of comprehensive smoke-free laws in a state with strong historical ties to tobacco.

Business policies affecting secondhand smoke exposure.

Background: Despite recent legislative and voluntary policy changes, a significant number of workplaces, recreational venues, and public facilities do not offer the public full protection from secondhand smoke exposure. The current study assessed smoking policies, attitudes toward smoke-free policies, and support for policy change among business owners and managers of businesses open to the public in North Carolina.

Methods: Business owners and managers were interviewed over the phone.