FHI's Week in Review - 7/8/19: Nutrition guidelines clarified + The Match 2019 fails to attract primary care

Volume VI, Issue 27

July 8, 2019

Confused about what to eat? Science can help

A July 5th post in The Conversation clears up a lot

of confusion, including among doctors, about proper nutrition. Author P.K. Newby, a nutrition scientist, points out that, despite seemingly conflicting advice from so-called experts, there is broad consensus in the scientific community supporting a plant-based diet.

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According to the author:

While it may sound like a fad, a plant-based diet has been studied for decades. Awareness escalated as it addresses two urgent public health challenges: the chronic disease epidemic and the climate change crisis. It's a win-win for human health and the environment.

"The good news regarding nutrition is there is no 'new' news," adds Aventura based Sandra Doman, DC. "Fruits, vegetables and lean grass-fed protein as well as healthy oils will never be surpassed as a diet that helps to eliminate chronic illnesses as well as creating health and vitality in people."

American Medical Students Less Likely to Choose to Become Primary Care Doctors

Victoria Knight reports on Health News Florida (via KHN) that a record-high number of primary care positions was offered in the 2019 National Resident Matching Program - known to doctors as "the Match." But this year, according to Ms. Knight, the percentage of primary care positions filled by fourth-year medical students hit a record low.

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"I remember reading about medical students avoiding primary care 25 years ago, for the very same reasons," asserts James "Jim" Craig, SVP-Healthcare Practice Leader at BankUnited, N.A. in Fort Lauderdale. And he is correct. Value based care initiatives appeared to offer some hope for PCPs, but the reality is primary care was devoured by managed care a long time ago. Then dysfunctional EHRs were added to the problem. Today's physicians are making the same decisions of the previous generation and choosing specialties with higher pay and a better quality of life. Sadly, our patient population need primary care more than ever. They are older, fatter and sicker. Osteopaths and foreign educated doctors have been filling the gaps so far, but most experts agree the nation has a looming PCP shortage.

HIV Update

Health Affairs delivers an insightful and hopeful piece entitled Twenty Years of Antiretroviral Therapy for People Living with HIV: Global Costs, Health Achievements, Economic Benefits in a July 1 post.

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According to the article abstract:

Since the introduction of azidothymidine in 1987, significant improvements in treatment for people living with HIV have yielded substantial improvements in global health as a result of the unique benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART averted 9.5 million deaths worldwide in 1995-2015, with global economic benefits of $1.05 trillion. For every $1 spent on ART, $3.50 in benefits accrued globally. If treatment scale-up achieves the global 90-90-90 targets of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, a total of 34.9 million deaths are projected to be averted between 1995 and 2030. Approximately 40.2 million new HIV infections could also be averted by ART, and economic gains could reach $4.02 trillion in 2030. Having provided ART to 19.5 million people represents a major human achievement. However, 15.2 million infected people are currently not receiving treatment, which represents a significant lost opportunity. Further treatment scale-up could yield even greater health and economic benefits.

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