New Hepatitis B Screening Recommendations for 2023

By Matt Zeitler, MD
on June 05, 2023

We know that chronic hepatitis B infection can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. While there is no cure, antiviral treatment, monitoring, and liver cancer surveillance can improve outcomes for people living with hepatitis B. Additionally, effective preventative hepatitis B vaccines are available.

Until recently, guidelines recommended that only people at high risk of infection be screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Under that policy, we missed a lot of people: only an estimated 1 in 3 people in the U.S. with hepatitis B are aware they are infected. 

The Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet

By Neda Frayha, MD
on May 02, 2023

As primary care clinicians, we play a crucial role in helping our patients make healthier food choices. But with all the contradicting information out there, sifting through nutrition evidence can be daunting.

One diet that has evidence for helping prevent disease and promote better health is a whole-food, plant-based diet.

This diet focuses on eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables that have undergone minimal processing. Studies have shown that this approach is associated with health promotion and disease prevention, and that a plant-based diet is a cost-effective, low-risk intervention that may lower BMI, BP, HgbA1c and cholesterol levels.

As Michael Pollan says in his book In Defense of Food: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Navigating Cancer Screenings With Your Transgender Patients

By Matt Zeitler, MD
on April 10, 2023

Cancer screening is a critical part of primary care practice, and most of us can recite guidelines in our sleep. That said, cancer screening can feel a little tricky in our transgender population, especially when we are still learning to navigate this sensitive topic as a general part of our practice. 

3 Primary Cardiac Prevention Tips for the PCP

By Neda Frayha, MD
on April 10, 2023

When helping primary care patients navigate heart disease prevention, we all know the big interventions to cover: quitting smoking, exercising, and eating a healthy diet with more plant-based foods. But are you also covering these less prominent risk factors?