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Practical clinical trials in pain management can help improve patient function, lower misuse of opioids

Pressures on primary care doctors to move away from opioid pain management are increasing, but practitioners need practical, evidence-based information on how to employ multidisciplinary pain care successfully in everyday clinical practice.

22 May 2017

Study: Antibiotic therapy does not work for nearly one in four adults with community-acquired pneumonia

Approximately one in four (22.1 percent) adults prescribed an antibiotic in an outpatient setting (such as a doctor's office) for community-acquired pneumonia does not respond to treatment, according to a new study presented at the 2017 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

22 May 2017

Overcrowded emergency rooms may delay sepsis treatment, study reveals

According to a new study, patients with sepsis, a life-threatening complication of an infection, had delays approaching one hour in being given antibiotics when seen in emergency rooms that were overcrowded. The study was presented at the 2017 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

22 May 2017

New study shows way to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections

They're a double-edged sword for nursing home residents and staff – making it easier and safer to handle a basic bodily function, but putting frail patients in danger of infections that can lead to confusion, falls and death.

22 May 2017

Laparoscopic gastric band surgery linked to high reoperation rates and costs

Among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery, reoperation was common, costly, and varied widely across hospital referral regions, according to a study published by JAMA Surgery.

17 May 2017

Study finds higher mortality rates among patients treated by older physicians

Patients treated by older hospital-based internists known as hospitalists are somewhat more likely to die within a month of admission than those treated by younger physicians, according to the results of a study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

17 May 2017

Thyroid cancer surgery complications higher than previously thought, study suggests

As thyroid cancer rates rise, more people are having surgery to remove all or part of their thyroid. A new study suggests complications from these procedures are more common than previously believed.

16 May 2017

Research finds that only few women receive long-lasting contraception due to poor access

Before leaving the hospital after childbirth, more women are opting to check one thing off their list: birth control.

10 May 2017

Personalized music may benefit seniors with dementia living in nursing homes

Across the country, nursing home employees and families are trying personalized music playlists to help seniors cope with the disorienting, anxious experience of living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

10 May 2017

Republican congressmen send fiery response to HHS

Two influential Republican congressmen are blasting a Department of Health and Human Services memo to division heads as a "potentially illegal and unconstitutional" infringement on whistleblowers' rights to call attention to waste, fraud and abuse in the executive branch.

9 May 2017

Social smokers' risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol is identical to regular users, study finds

Social smokers' risk for high blood pressure and high cholesterol is identical to those who light up every day, new research has found.

3 May 2017

Biologics prescribers collaborative releases new white paper: The State of Biosimilars Policy

The Biologics Prescribers Collaborative (BPC), a project of the Alliance for Patient Access, released a new white paper, “The State of Biosimilars Policy.” The paper is released in conjunction with a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill where experts will discuss the current biosimilars policy framework and its impact on prescribing, reimbursement and use.

3 May 2017

Study finds uneven distribution of telemedicine services for mental health in rural areas

Newly published research by Harvard Medical School and the RAND Corporation reveals a dramatic growth in the use of telemedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders in rural areas, but strikingly uneven distribution of services across states.

2 May 2017

Making doctors check patients' drug history could be simple way to reduce opioid epidemic

There's a simple way to reduce the opioid epidemic gripping the country, according to new Cornell University research: Make doctors check their patients' previous prescriptions.

2 May 2017

AGS experts oppose amendment to American Health Care Act

Following a review of the recently released MacArthur Amendment to the American Health Care Act, the American Geriatrics Society remains opposed to this legislation that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and which AGS experts believe would harm access to key health services for older adults, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

29 Apr 2017

Special issue of Evidence-Based Oncology focuses on benefits and challenges of APMs in cancer care

The revolution in how physicians will be paid brings unique challenges to cancer care, where individual patient needs may make costs hard to predict.

29 Apr 2017

ARDS survivors who return to work end up losing their jobs, study finds

Forty-four percent of people who held jobs before contracting a condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome were jobless one year after they were discharged from the hospital, costing them an average of about $27,000 in earnings.

29 Apr 2017

Study examines economic impact of surviving acute respiratory distress syndrome

According to a new multicenter study, nearly half of previously employed adult survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome were jobless one year after hospital discharge, and are estimated to have lost an average of $27,000 in earnings.

28 Apr 2017

Cheaper topical steroids could lead to potential health care and out-of-pocket savings

Although topical steroids are among the most commonly prescribed medications by dermatologists, there are limited data on spending and use for this class of drugs.

28 Apr 2017

Study takes first step towards identifying best practices for Mohs micrographic surgery

In an analysis of Medicare billing data submitted by more than 2,300 United States physicians, researchers have calculated the average number of surgical slices, or cuts, made during Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), a procedure that progressively removes thin layers of cancerous skin tissue in a way that minimizes damage to healthy skin and the risks of leaving cancerous tissue behind.

28 Apr 2017

Medicare News and Research

Practical clinical trials in pain management can help improve patient function, lower misuse of opioids

Study: Antibiotic therapy does not work for nearly one in four adults with community-acquired pneumonia

Overcrowded emergency rooms may delay sepsis treatment, study reveals

New study shows way to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Laparoscopic gastric band surgery linked to high reoperation rates and costs

Study finds higher mortality rates among patients treated by older physicians

Thyroid cancer surgery complications higher than previously thought, study suggests

Research finds that only few women receive long-lasting contraception due to poor access

Personalized music may benefit seniors with dementia living in nursing homes

Republican congressmen send fiery response to HHS

Social smokers' risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol is identical to regular users, study finds

Biologics prescribers collaborative releases new white paper: The State of Biosimilars Policy

Study finds uneven distribution of telemedicine services for mental health in rural areas

Making doctors check patients' drug history could be simple way to reduce opioid epidemic

AGS experts oppose amendment to American Health Care Act

Special issue of Evidence-Based Oncology focuses on benefits and challenges of APMs in cancer care

ARDS survivors who return to work end up losing their jobs, study finds

Study examines economic impact of surviving acute respiratory distress syndrome

Cheaper topical steroids could lead to potential health care and out-of-pocket savings

Study takes first step towards identifying best practices for Mohs micrographic surgery

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