Posts by utahafp

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth. These effects can include physical problems and problems with behavior and learning. Often, a person with an FASD has a mix of these…

Practice: I work primarily at the Sugar House Health Center, where I have practiced since my residency. I have one patient that I’ve seen since my intern year! I also see patients in the Neurology Headache clinic. I’ve been involved in undergraduate medical education since I began as faculty, and enjoy mentoring medical students, especially…

Overview SB 319 updates Utah law governing health insurance prior authorization (PA) processes. The legislation aims to reduce administrative burden on physicians, increase transparency in insurer decision-making, and protect providers and patients once services are authorized. The bill establishes clearer rules for authorization timelines, duration of approvals, insurer transparency, and limits on retroactive denials. Key…

Utah has taken a major step toward strengthening its healthcare workforce and protecting patient access to care. The Utah Legislature just passed HB270 – Healthcare Worker Post Employment Amendments, which eliminates most non-compete clauses in healthcare employment contracts beginning May 6, 2026. The new law represents a significant shift in how healthcare employment agreements are structured in the…

Practice: I work at the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Primary Care Clinic doing basic outpatient care. Residency: My residency was in Janesville, WI at the Mercy Hospital and Clinics there. A bit about Dr. Pratt: I grew up in Clearfield, UT. Went to Clearfield High School. Undergrad at Weber State University. I am rather…

Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of infants born with syphilis in the U.S. Utah is no exception to this concerning trend as there were 4 times as many congenital syphilis cases in 2023 compared with 2019. Fortunately, congenital syphilis is preventable. Providers who care for pregnant patients are important partners…

The Utah Academy of Family Physicians applauds innovation in healthcare and AI has the potential to provide some positive improvements in delivery of care and reduction of administrative burden. However, we have significant concerns with the apparent willingness to move forward with AI without the necessary guardrails and without the understanding that human involvement is…

Practice: Now I work part-time in a small functional medicine practice in Vernal, I cover a couple weekends a month at a medical detox facility in Orem, and cover a handful of shifts in local urgent care clinics in Roosevelt and Vernal. I’ve been practicing since 1985 – 40 years. Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin…