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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

Hospitals may be unfairly penalized for readmission of heart attack patients, study suggests

A program that penalizes hospitals for high early readmission rates of heart attack patients may be unfairly penalizing hospitals that serve a large proportion of African-Americans and those with more severe illness, a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggests.

26 Apr 2017

Higher spending for cancer surgery may indicate worse patient care

Higher costs for complex cancer surgery may be an indicator for worse -- rather than better -- quality of care, according to new research by experts at Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

26 Apr 2017

NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium adds nine new clinical practice guidelines in oncology

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network continues to build its NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium with the publication of radiation therapy (RT) recommendations from an additional nine NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

19 Apr 2017

Researchers explore use of free Annual Wellness Visit among Medicare patients

In 2011, through the Affordable Care Act, Medicare introduced the Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), the first annual health check-up offered by Medicare at no cost to patients.

19 Apr 2017

Periodic check-ups are essential to maintain health and longevity of baby boomers

For some baby boomers, getting ready for a routine visit with their doctor is like training for a marathon. Some patients want to be in the best shape possible before stepping on that scale and getting those lab results.

19 Apr 2017

Medicare's Hospital Compare portal underestimates AMI mortality rates, study finds

New analysis of Medicare's Hospital Compare portal shows the statistical methodology used to rate and compare hospitals underestimates mortality rates of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at small hospitals.

19 Apr 2017

Thyroid cancer patients with bone metastases have worse survival, study finds

When cancer metastases, bone unwittingly offers a friendly place for tumor cell growth--only to have its hospitality betrayed by pathologic fractures, spinal cord compression, the need for bone surgery or irradiation, and an increased risk of death.

17 Apr 2017

Study finds increasing trends in use of CVI treatment procedures in Medicare population

A new study by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute found that utilization of procedures to treat chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) in the Medicare population increased markedly from 2005 through 2014.

12 Apr 2017

Different therapies for early-stage breast cancer show wide variations in cost-effectiveness

A new study published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicates that different therapies for early-stage breast cancer have very different relative values.

10 Apr 2017

Study offers new hope for early attack against Alzheimer's

Catch it early. Those are watchwords in the battle against a host of illnesses, from heart disease to cancer to Type 2 diabetes.

7 Apr 2017

New study reveals link between drought and adverse health risks among older adults

A new Yale-led study reveals a distinct connection between drought exposure and adverse human health among older adults.

5 Apr 2017

Study shows promising results for real-world massage in treating chronic low back pain

In the first study of its kind, researchers found real-world massage therapy to be an effective treatment for chronic low back pain.

3 Apr 2017

ACR outlines health policy priorities to improve access to arthritis care and treatments

The American College of Rheumatology today announced its 2017 health policy priorities, providing detailed policy recommendations to improve access to care and treatments for the 54 million Americans living with arthritis and other rheumatologic diseases.

31 Mar 2017

Medicare News and Research

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

Hospitals may be unfairly penalized for readmission of heart attack patients, study suggests

Higher spending for cancer surgery may indicate worse patient care

NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium adds nine new clinical practice guidelines in oncology

Researchers explore use of free Annual Wellness Visit among Medicare patients

Periodic check-ups are essential to maintain health and longevity of baby boomers

Medicare's Hospital Compare portal underestimates AMI mortality rates, study finds

Thyroid cancer patients with bone metastases have worse survival, study finds

Study finds increasing trends in use of CVI treatment procedures in Medicare population

Different therapies for early-stage breast cancer show wide variations in cost-effectiveness

Study offers new hope for early attack against Alzheimer's

New study reveals link between drought and adverse health risks among older adults

Study shows promising results for real-world massage in treating chronic low back pain

ACR outlines health policy priorities to improve access to arthritis care and treatments

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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