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Cigarette Smoking Cessation Tool
Pavan K. Anant
Short-term ProjectIn Vermont, tobacco use disorder is a pervasive problem that closely rivals national averages. The Cigarette Smoking Cessation Tool seeks to identify patients with significant motivation to quit smoking cigarettes' and aims to connect them with appropriate local resources and clinic advocates.
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Quality Improvement of X-Ray Imaging for Unspecified Chronic Knee pain and Suspected knee osteoarthritis in the Primary Care Setting
Ty E. Bever
Short-term ProjectAlthough a comprehensive history and physical exam are the mainstays of initial evaluation, plain X-rays are clinically indicated for chronic knee pain of greater than 6 weeks duration and acute traumatic pain in patients who meet specific evidence-based criteria, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). However, there remains significant variation in what radiographic protocols are used in clinical practice, specifically in terms of what radiographic views are ordered and whether the imaging is performed with the patient weight-bearing (WB) or non-weight-bearing (NWB). In fact, several studies have shown that non-weight-bearing knee radiographs are frequently ordered by general practitioners for chronic knee pain and suspected osteoarthritis despite evidence that WB images are more sensitive and accurate in the assessment of joint space narrowing. Therefore, evaluation of chronic knee pain with the use of NWB radiographs has the potential to delay diagnosis and management of early osteoarthritis (OA), lead to less accurate grading of the severity of OA and delay in specialist referral, and contribute to an increase in repeat imaging during specialist consultation.
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Nutritional Support for Oncology Patients: Role for the PCP
Annabelle S. Feist
Short-term ProjectAdequate nutrition is a key prognostic factor in the treatment outcomes of patients with cancer diagnoses. Despite the increased morbidity and mortality of malnutrition, the importance of nutrition for oncology patients is often not well communicated and not well understood by patients. Part of this issue stems from the limited information most patient can absorb at any given doctors appointment, especially regarding their cancer. Primary care providers hold a unique position to fill this gap and have the information be heard and retained given their usual role in addressing overall health. This project compiles resources in an easily accessible and distributable manner so PCPs can provide their patients with cancer diagnoses important information without adding more time to already long and complex visits.
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Improving Care for LGBTQ+ Patients
Justin Henningsen
Short-term ProjectLGBTQ+ patients are at higher risks for many health conditions. Providers and staff are not always comfortable supporting conversations about gender and sexuality. In this project, I provided training to staff members of Hardwick Area Health Center on risks and best practices.
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Increasing Patient Awareness and Education Surrounding Prescription Weight Loss Medications
Anirudh A. Hirve
Short-term ProjectObesity is a growing problem in the United States. While it remains important for clinicians to emphasize health supportive behaviors including dietary modification and exercise when counseling patients, the advent of new weight loss medications has created a need for patient education materials regarding these interventions for a growing number of patients who request them at primary care visits. This project created a smart phrase in the electronic medical record summarizing weight loss medications currently available on the market to transform patient counseling and enable better shared decision making between patients and providers.
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Expanding Awareness of TBI Resources in the North Country
Nicholas W. Krant
Short-term ProjectDisability, emotional dysregulation and financial stress are only some of the issues that many patients who suffer TBI encounter. While resources are available to alleviate some of these burdens on patients who suffer TBI in New York's North Country, patients often struggle to find these resources. This project endeavors to create a resource for patients, family members and practitioners to find available resources.
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Bridging Language Barriers In Clinical Screening: Leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to Generate Bilingual Screening Surveys for Patients with Limited English Proficiency (PLEP)
Tyler VanDyk
Short-term ProjectThis study addresses the critical need for accessible clinical screening in communities with a high incidence of Patients with Limited English Proficiency (PLEP). Recognizing the limitations of existing interpreter services and the scarcity of validated translations for standard clinical surveys like PHQ-9 and GAD-7, we developed a novel approach leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs). Our method utilizes GPT-4 to create bilingual versions of these surveys, which are then formatted into printable PDFs via a Python script and LuaLaTeX compiler. The resulting surveys, validated for translation accuracy and cultural competency, are made accessible through a Google repository. Preliminary results demonstrate that GPT-4 can consistently produce high-quality, culturally sensitive translations in various languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Nepali, and Somali. This innovative approach not only improves the accessibility of clinical screening tools but also enhances the efficiency of medical practice, especially in settings with diverse linguistic needs. Future directions include professional validation of the bilingual surveys and expansion of the repository to encompass a wider range of languages and forms. This study highlights the potential of LLMs in bridging language barriers in healthcare, offering a scalable solution to improve healthcare outcomes for PLEP.
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Promoting spine health for adolescent athletes
Taylor R. Walker
Short-term ProjectBased on interviews with local stakeholders in public health and literature review, developed an informational brochure for high school athletes containing prevention and management strategies and resources for low back pain. The aim of this project is to help young athletes stay healthy and live well as they age by promoting spine health.
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Improving Nutrition Education and Access to Healthy Food for Low-Income Mainers
Jessica Wyn
Short-term ProjectMany people in Androscoggin county are not able to consistently achieve a diet with the recommended food variety for improving health. Adequate nutrition for improving health outcomes requires access to healthy food at affordable prices, health literacy regarding diet and nutrition concepts, and the skills and access to equipment required to prepare and store food. A lack of resources in any one of these areas can limit a person’s ability to engage in a healthy diet, which increases their risk of developing preventable non-communicable diseases later in life.
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Patient Pamphlet for Basic Lab Values
Robert A. Adamian
Short-term ProjectAs a result of lab results being immediately available to patients online, many patients experience unnecessary anxiety when viewing their results before speaking with their physician. Misleading lab values and increased patient concerns lead to more time spent by physicians answering messages on EPIC, which adds to the burden of public health costs. To combat this, a double-sided pamphlet was made with quick high yield facts about lab data that patients can use for information in the time between seeing their results and communicating with their doctor.
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Increasing Patient Education on Proper Antibiotic Stewardship
Arif S. Ahsan
Short-term ProjectAntibiotic resistance is a growing public health issue in the United States. Coinciding with this, patients often inappropriately self-treat infections using antibiotics. Locally, this causes complications in treating patients in an outpatient setting, and nationally, this causes an increased economic burden on the United States healthcare system. A handout was developed for distribution at pharmacies in order to better educate patients on proper antibiotic stewardship, based on information that providers believed to be most important for patients to know.
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Improving Cardiovascular Health in Low Socioeconomic Status Women through the Vermont You First Program
Bradley M. Anair
Short-term ProjectCardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. Low socioeconomic status women are in a unique position because cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality is higher in lower socioeconomic status groups, and the risks of cardiovascular disease are often underappreciated in women. This project aimed to improve cardiovascular health in low socioeconomic status women through increasing awareness of the Vermont You First program. This program covers the cost of screenings for cervical cancer, breast cancer, and heart disease for low socioeconomic status women. They also offer lifestyle perks to improve cardiovascular health. This intervention will help alleviate the financial obstacle that low socioeconomic status women face in achieving optimal cardiovascular health.
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Analysis of Primary Care Practice Patterns and Knowledge of Microscopic Hematuria
Clemens An
Short-term ProjectTo analyze and assess the primary care practices regarding the diagnostic evaluation of microscopic hematuria
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Improving Healthcare for Coptic Egyptian Migrants
Lorena Ayoub
Short-term ProjectThere is very little known about Coptic Egyptian migrant health in the current literature. Exploring health beliefs and behaviors in regard to seeking medical care is important. Additionally, understanding how the Coptic church plays a role in healthcare is essential as many Coptic individuals believe spirituality influences physical health.
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Transportation to Little Rivers Health Clinic in Wells River, Vermont
Anupama Balasubramanian
Short-term ProjectTransportation to healthcare appointments is one of the biggest challenges that rural patients face. Currently, there are no resources available to patients at Little Rivers Health Care that can help them with transportation-related knowledge. This project aims to create a guide that improves patients' understanding of the options they have available in getting to their appointments.
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Increasing Access of Outpatient Therapeutic Services for Adolescents With Persistent Symptoms After Sport-related Traumatic Brain Injury
Natalie J. Bales
Short-term ProjectPersistent symptoms lasting at least 21 days after initial traumatic brain injury occur in about 15-20% of adolescents. Initial assessment of concussions can be done using the SCAT5 and a wide variety of other standardized assessment tools. However, there are striking gaps in standard clinical procedure for follow-up care for athletes who have persistent symptoms. Furthermore, there are many issues with accessibility to therapeutic services including long wait times that prevent timely referral to those services. This pilot intervention was implemented at the University of Vermont to address those issues by providing a hotline resource for families to use and obtain faster and easier referrals to outpatient therapeutic services based on individual persistent symptoms.
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Transitioning to ASQ Online at Colchester Family Medicine
Katie Barker
Short-term ProjectDevelopment screenings are an important part of well-child visits for early identification of a developmental delay. Early identification and appropriate intervention allow for better functional outcomes for patients, preventing the worsening of a delay. Currently, only 38% of these screenings are completed at Colchester Family Medicine. With the aid of Help Me Grow, a national organization dedicated to connecting families to community resources to allow children to reach their full potential, Colchester Family Medicine should transition to ASQ online, an online version of its current screening tool. This would increase completion rates, improve accuracy of results and allow for a better experience for both the patient and their families, and the providers.
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Migrant Farmworker Health in Windham County
Shea A. Bellino
Short-term ProjectThere is a significant population of migrant farmworkers, especially H2A visa holders, in Windham county with limited access to health care compared to peers in Addison and Chittenden counties. Health care is delivered to migrant farmworkers across Vermont via a volunteer-based program coordinated by the University of Vermont Extension known as Bridges to Health. Given the proximity of Grace Cottage to H2A farmworkers, it is reasonable to explore ways of increasing access for this patient population, including raising awareness of Bridges to Health.
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Obtaining a Gender-Affirming Sexual History with Gender Nonconforming and Transgender Patients
Gabriela Bosmenier Cruz
Short-term ProjectThis project introduces a methodology to change how providers ask the 5 P's of a sexual history using gender-affirming language. Obtaining a gender-affirming sexual history will improve sexual health care, especially with gender nonconforming and transgender patients. Taking time to discuss sexual health and function can lead to prompt identification of sexual problems, risk-taking behaviors, and infection prevention. Using appropriate language to communicate with all patients can lead to better doctor-patient relationship.
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Cyanobacteria Blooms: Raising Awareness in a Primary Care Setting
Eliza A. Bradley
Short-term Project -
Pamphlet to Promote Patient Education on Hypertension and Diabetes
John J. Braidt
Short-term ProjectDiabetes and hypertension are prevalent in the United States, and are among the most common reasons for office visits. Control rates for hypertension have dropped in the past 5 years owing, in part, to medication non-compliance, perceptions of poor locus of control and self-efficacy, limited health care literacy and knowledge. Concerns regarding adverse effects of medications are also prevalent. This project seeks to improve patient knowledge of hypertension and present an argument for medication compliance.
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Ambulance Service Coverage in Rural Coventry, Vermont
Katelynn Briere
Short-term ProjectAmbulance service coverage is made difficult by the rural landscape of many Vermont towns. Discrepancies in quality and cost of ambulance service providers can make it difficult for town administrators to decide which service would be best for their town. This decision is even more important in towns like Coventry, Vermont where there is no in-town ambulance service. Providing town administrators with informative documents is one way to assist them in the decision making process.
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Patient Rights to Prescription Glasses
Louis Briones
Short-term ProjectUncorrected Refractive Error (URE) accounts for vision loss in millions of Americans. Eyeglasses are the simplest and safest way to correct refractive errors. Prescription eyewear coverage is not universally covered across most health insurance policies. This project details Medicare and Vermont Medicaid coverage for Prescription Glasses. Also included is information outlining where to buy affordable frames and organizations in Vermont that can help acquire prescriptions not covered by insurance.
These projects were completed by students in the University of Vermont Family Medicine Clerkship. Block Clerkship Projects were completed during a five-week period, while Longitudinal Clerkship Projects were completed over the course of a 12-month longitudinal clerkship.
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