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Two letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in the May 2007 issue, including "In-Store Clinics: Threat or Help to Primary Care" and "Internal Medicine: Poised for a Face Lift."

The author reflects on the status of internal medicine in the U.S. He expresses his concern about the hiring of internists as primary care providers by two medical groups in California. He states that no internist today is likely to practice under the rubric of internal medicine and diagnostics as was once the case. He asserts that there is general acceptance that good internists improve quality and help control the ultimate cost of medical care.

The article offers medical news briefs in the U.S. St. Jude Medical Inc. will market HearTwave II microvolt t-wave alternans test to North American primary care and internal medicine physicians. The Food and Drug Administration approves Specify 5-6-5 surgical lead by Medtronics for the treatment of chronic low back pain. The Content Management System has updated hospital-specific volume and payment data for several common impatient procedures on the websites.

The article reflects on the disastrous economics of primary care practice in the U.S. The author emphasizes that the number of medical students wanting for training in general internal medicine is dropping sharply. He adds that the most disturbing part of primary care physician shortage is the absence of the concerted plan to manage the deficit issue.

This article cites an study on advantages of communication between primary care doctors and patients, which was previously published in the journal "Archives of Internal Medicine." According to the findings of the study, communication between doctors and patients can reduce medication-related problems. The side effects of medications may be reduced to greater extent with the help of such communication between doctors and patients. According to the lead researcher of the study Saul N. Weingart, for every symptom that patients experienced but failed to report, one in five resulted in an adverse drug event that could have been prevented or been made less severe.