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Granular information on material deprivation including financial and economic well-being among people with diabetes can better inform policy, practice and interventions to support diabetes management. The purpose of this study was to describe in-depth the state of economic burden, financial stress, and coping among people with high A1c. Data came from the 2019-2021 baseline assessment in an ongoing U.S. trial that addresses social determinants of health among people with diabetes and high A1c who report at least one financial burden or cost-related non-adherence (CRN) (n = 600). Mean age of participants was 53 years. Planning behaviors were the most common financial well-being behavior, while savings was least frequently endorsed. Nearly a quarter of participants report spending more than $300 per month out-of-pocket to manage all of their health conditions. Participants reported spending the most out-of-pocket on medications (52%), special foods (40%), doctor's visits (27%), and blood glucose supplies (22%). Along with health insurance, these were also the most cited as sources of financial stress and where assistance. Seventy-two percent reported high levels of financial stress. Maladaptive coping was evident through CRN, and less than half engaged in adaptive coping such as talking to a doctor about cost or using a resource to address their needs. Economic burden, financial stress, and cost-related coping are highly relevant constructs among people with diabetes and high A1cs. More evidence-generation is needed for diabetes self-management programs to address sources of financial stress, facilitate behaviors to enhance financial well-being, and address unmet social needs to alleviate economic burdens.

The Emotional Well-Being and Economic Burden (EMOT-ECON) Research Network is one of six research networks funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance research about emotional well-being (EWB), and the only one that focuses on addressing how economic burden due to disease or illness affects EWB. The network convened researchers, patients, patient advocates, health care providers and other stakeholders from across the US to discuss the significance of addressing the impact of the economic burden of disease on EWB, the complexity of this prevalent problem for patients and families, and the research gaps that still need to be studied to ultimately develop strategies to reduce the impact of economic burden of disease on EWB and health. Participants identified some important future areas of research as those investigating: (i) prevalent and relevant emotions for patients experiencing economic burden of disease and financial hardship, and how their broader outlook on life is impacted; (ii) constructs and contexts that influence whether the economic burden is stressful; (iii) strategies to deal and cope and their positive or negative effects on EWB and health; and (iv) multi-level and multi-stakeholder interventions to address economic factors (e.g., costs, ability to pay), administrative burdens, education and training, and especially patients' emotional as well as financial status.

BackgroundThe rapid proliferation of electronic health records (EHRs) in clinics has had mixed impact on patient-centered communication, yet few evaluated interventions exist to train practicing providers in communication practices.AimsWe extended the evidence-based Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) program with EHR-specific communication strategies, and tested whether training providers with the extended program (EHR-PACE) would improve provider and patient perceptions of provider communication skills and asthma outcomes of patients.MethodA pilot randomized design was used to compare EHR-PACE with usual care. Participants were providers ( n = 18) and their adult patients with persistent asthma ( n = 126). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 3- and 6-month postintervention, including patient perception of their provider's communication skills and provider confidence in using EHRs during clinical encounters.ResultsCompared with the control group, providers who completed the EHR-PACE program reported significant improvements at 3-month follow-up in their confidence with asthma counseling practices (estimate 0.90, standard error [ SE] 0.4); p < .05) and EHR-specific communication practices (estimate 2.3, SE 0.8; p < .01), and at 6-month follow-up, a significant decrease in perception that the computer interferes with the patient-provider relationship (estimate -1.0, SE 0.3; p < .01). No significant changes were observed in patient asthma outcomes or their perception of their provider's communication skills.DiscussionTraining providers with skills to accommodate EHR use in the exam room increases provider confidence and their perceived skills in maintaining patient-centered communications in the short term.ConclusionEvidence-supported training initiatives that can increase capacity of busy providers to manage increased computing demands shows promise. More research is needed to fully evaluate EHR-PACE on patients' health status and their perceptions of their provider's care through a large-scale trial.

ObjectiveThe introduction of health information technology systems, electronic health records in particular, is changing the nature of how clinicians interact with patients. Lack of knowledge remains on how best to integrate such systems in the exam room. The purpose of this systematic review was to (1) distill "best" behavioral and communication practices recommended in the literature for clinicians when interacting with patients in the presence of computerized systems during a clinical encounter, (2) weigh the evidence of each recommendation, and (3) rank evidence-based recommendations for electronic health record communication training initiatives for clinicians.MethodsWe conducted a literature search of 6 databases, resulting in 52 articles included in the analysis. We extracted information such as study setting, research design, sample, findings, and implications. Recommendations were distilled based on consistent support for behavioral and communication practices across studies.ResultsEight behavioral and communication practices received strong support of evidence in the literature and included specific aspects of using computerized systems to facilitate conversation and transparency in the exam room, such as spatial (re)organization of the exam room, maintaining nonverbal communication, and specific techniques that integrate the computerized system into the visit and engage the patient. Four practices, although patient-centered, have received insufficient evidence to date.Discussion and conclusionWe developed an evidence base of best practices for clinicians to maintain patient-centered communications in the presence of computerized systems in the exam room. Further work includes development and empirical evaluation of evidence-based guidelines to better integrate computerized systems into clinical care.

The article focuses on determining the frequency, predictors, and primary care provider (PCPs') perceptions of the impact of cost conversations with low-income patients in an expanded Medicaid program. Topics discussed include out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for health care, Medicaid claims data of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and change in medical care managment.

Background: Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) is a programme developed in the USA to improve paediatric asthma outcomes. Aims: To examine translation of PACE to Australia. Methods: The RE-AIM framework was used to assess translation. Demographic characteristics and findings regarding clinical asthma outcomes from PACE randomised clinical trials in both countries were examined. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine fidelity to intervention components. Results: Both iterations of PACE reached similar target audiences (general practice physicians and paediatric patients with asthma); however, in the USA, more children with persistent disease were enrolled. In both countries, participation comprised approximately 10% of eligible physicians and 25% of patients. In both countries, PACE deployed well-known local physicians and behavioural scientists as facilitators. Sponsorship of the programme was provided by professional associations and government agencies. Fidelity to essential programme elements was observed, but PACE Australia workshops included additional components. Similar outcomes included improvements in clinician confidence in developing short-term and long-term care plans, prescribing inhaled corticosteroids, and providing written management instructions to patients. No additional time was spent in the patient visit compared with controls. US PACE realised reductions in symptoms and healthcare use, results that could not be confirmed in Australia because of limitations in follow-up time and sample sizes. US PACE is maintained through a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Development of maintenance strategies for PACE Australia is underway. Conclusions: Based on criteria of the RE-AIM framework, the US version of PACE has been successfully translated for use in Australia. INSETS: Overview of PACE;Overview of RE-AIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]