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Primary Care Physicians Need Better Access to More Concise, Timely Medical Information

Posted on: Tuesday, 2 October 2007, 09:01 CDT

As the vanguard among health care practitioners, primary care physicians face a daunting task. Not only must they know how to diagnose and treat a multitude of health conditions in patients of all ages, but they must also stay informed of the changes and advances that continually outdate current treatment guidelines.

A VerusMed information needs survey of primary care physicians found that even though the majority of the physicians polled spend one to three or more hours per week reading medical research and news, they still believe that gaps exist in the information they receive, citing dozens of specific examples such as a lack of information on patient safety, psychiatry and specific conditions such as diabetes. They also say they are lacking in postmarketing data and information pertaining to evidence-based medicine. Furthermore, physicians voiced concern regarding the time it takes for news and updates to reach them.

"It is not a huge surprise that primary care physicians point to so many information gaps given the numerous resources they must sort through to find relevant information," said June Manning, VerusMed's editor-in-chief. "The sheer diversity of what these physicians must know can seem intimidating, not to mention the speed at which medical science continues to evolve. It's definitely a challenge just trying to keep up."

When asked which areas they are most interested in reading about, the primary care physicians who participated in the information needs assessment chose effectiveness of drug treatments, followed closely by prevention and diagnosis of medical conditions. They are also interested in information about screening, side effects of treatments and quality of care. The type of information they consider most valuable includes treatment guidelines, FDA news, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case studies and Phase III studies.

Moreover, the survey revealed that primary care physicians, like physicians in more specialized practices, still rely on medical journals, conferences and other peer interactions as their primary resources for gaining new knowledge. Primary care physicians also are similar to specialists in that they have not fully embraced new media technology. The majority of those polled said they still prefer to receive their information through the mail, followed closely by e-mail.

"The findings show that primary care physicians still rely on select information resources and delivery modes," said Scott McQuigg, CEO of ConnectivHealth, parent company of VerusMed, which provides clinical news briefs to physicians and other health care professionals. "Therefore, anyone wanting to connect to primary care physicians must work within these specific channels while increasing the selectivity of their information--and the precision with which they deliver it."

During the last decade, VerusMed has used its ongoing survey process to shape content development and delivery of future publications for physicians in multiple and diverse therapeutic areas. To request a full report, e-mail us at physiciandata@verusmed.com.

About VerusMed

VerusMed, an evolution of Faxwatch, provides timely, unbiased medical information to physicians, health care professionals and industry executives. VerusMed's concise and objective editorial approach ensures that readers receive the most relevant therapeutic updates. With more than 150,000 readers across several dozen therapeutic and industry segment-specific publications, VerusMed is able to leverage its market connectivity to help companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, hospital and managed care industries to establish brands and build rapport with key audiences. VerusMed is a ConnectivHealth company. To learn more, visit www.VerusMed.com or call 800-763-3329.

About ConnectivHealth

ConnectivHealth is a network of powerful health information brands that enable the delivery, distribution and organization of important health information for physicians, health care professionals, hospitals and schools through customized channels. Each brand serves a critical information need in the marketplace with the single goal of improving health. Privately held, the ConnectivHealth network includes: PeerClip, HealthTeacher, VerusMed and Discovery Hospital, a partnership with Discovery Communications. The company's investors include Petra Capital Partners of Nashville, Chrysalis Ventures of Louisville, Ky., and members of the management team. For more information, visit www.connectivhealth.com.

Source: Business Wire

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