All Articles

• 
  How does team care improve depression and diabetes?

  Treating to target’ and self-care, says Group Health-UW research The growing number of people with multiple physical and mental chronic conditions are among the toughest—and costliest—to care for. The TEAMcare collaborative care program is a promising solution.
• Good growth is fueled by committed people doing their best work

  The new federal health-reform law requires free coverage for various preventive care services, including prenatal care, well-child visits, routine vaccinations, counseling to quit smoking, and tests related to chronic illness.
• Biopsy referral after PSA screening stays consistent

  The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently concluded that evidence does not support recommending PSA screening for men under 75 years old at all, because the risks outweigh the benefits.
• GHRI leads initial evaluation of Mobile MyGroupHealth

  With use of mobile applications for smartphones growing, consumers now have easy access, on the go, to dozens of tools that search for health information, track symptoms, and log health-related actions. When Group Health designed its own free mobile app for members, launched in the summer of 2011, it consulted with James Ralston, MD, MPH—and decided to offer more.
• Physicians and the ethical dilemma of federal cuts to health care

  In less than three weeks, we’ll know whether Congress’ 12-member bipartisan “Super Committee” has succeeded. If it can’t find $1.2 trillion in federal deficit reductions over the next decade, we face reductions of the same magnitude as across-the-board cuts.
• Obesity and depression independently increase health costs

  Obesity and depression both dramatically increase health care costs, but they mainly act separately, according to a study published in the November 2011 Journal of General Internal Medicine by Group Health Research Institute scientists.
• If less is more, which health care should be cut?

  In a national survey of primary care physicians that the Archives of Internal Medicine published last month, nearly half agreed: Their own patients are getting too much care.