Laura is the vice president of content for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and all its brands, including The American Journal of Accountable Care®, Evidence-Based Oncology™, and The Center for Biosimilars®. She has been working on AJMC® since 2014 and has been with AJMC®’s parent company, MJH Life Sciences®, since 2011.
She has an MA in business and economic reporting from New York University. You can connect with Laura on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Moving Specialties and the Whole Healthcare Industry to Value-Based Payment Models
During the final panel at the fall meeting of the ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition® in Nashville, Tennessee, panelists discussed the progress specialties have made in moving to value-based payment models, as well as the challenges facing the industry as a whole. The panel consisted of 3 individuals who provided perspectives from specific specialties, and 1 with an overall policy perspective.
The Challenge of Adjusting Health Measures for Social Risk Factors
There have been tremendous improvements in healthcare quality and performance measurements, but one area where more needs to be done is incorporating social risk factors into these measurements, said Shantanu Agrawal, MD, CEO and president of National Quality Forum.
The Argument for Caution When Judging Industry Payments to Dermatology Clinical Guideline Authors
After a study reported that physicians who authored dermatology clinical guidelines didn't always fully disclose financial conflicts of interest, the American Academy of Dermatology urged the public to view the findings with caution.
Tocilizumab Associated With Higher Risk of Neutropenia Among Biologic DMARDs
History of neutropenia with methotrexate, concurrent treatment with synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (sDMARDs), and tocilizumab were risk factors for developing neutropenia while on biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), according to a study published in The Journal of Rheumatology.
AJMC®tv Interviews, October 2017
AJMC®TV interviews let you catch up on what’s new and important about changes in healthcare, with insights from key decision makers-from the clinician, to the health plan leader, to the regulator. When every minute in your day matters, AJMC®TV interviews keep you informed. Access the video clips at ajmc.com/interviews.
5 Things About the Importance of Addressing Social Determinants of Health
The shift of the healthcare industry to focus more on quality care and prevention of health issues before they arise has increased attention on an area outside of healthcare that needs to be addressed: social determinants of health.
ACOs Look to Take on More Risk, but Are Still Learning How to Be Successful
Despite their large and growing reach, accountable care organizations (ACOs) are still learning how to manage their populations and are slowly accepting more financial risk, according to the results of the Annual ACO Survey from the National Association of ACOs and Leavitt Partners.
Lower LDL Cholesterol Associated With Higher Mortality in American Indians
Excessively low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides is associated with a higher all-cause mortality among American Indians, according to a new study published online ahead of print in Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications.
Sense of Control Over Health Impacts Outcomes in Patients With Low Back Pain
Patients who feel they have little control over their health are more likely to report being depressed as a result of pain they experience. Targeting a patient’s sense of control can improve outcomes and remove barriers to recovery for patients with pain.
Global Health Report Finds Wide Variety in Rates of Diagnosis and Treatment
While the United States typically ranked first in rates of diagnosed conditions among 10 countries evaluated for patient insights into pressing health issues, it had the lowest work productivity impairment and activity impairment, according to a new report from Kantar Health.
Drop in Breast Cancer Death Rate Saved More Than 322,000 Lives From 1989 to 2015
While death rates from breast cancer declined 39% from 1989 to 2015, there are clear racial differences with black women having higher breast cancer death rates than white women, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.
Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis Significantly Improve With Dupixent
Adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who were treated with Dupixent (dupilumab) from Sanofi and Regeneron along with topical corticosteroids experienced improvements in overall disease severity, according to results from phase 3 of the CAFÉ trial.
FDA Rejects Abuse-Deterrent Opioid, Seeks Additional Information
The FDA has rejected an abuse-deterrent opioid citing the need for further evidence. Rexista, an Oxycodone Hydrochloride Extended-Release tablet (Oxycodone ER), was developed by Intellipharmaceutics International Inc as an abuse- and alcohol-deterrent controlled-release oral formulation of oxycodone hydrochloride for pain relief.
Consumption of Salt Associated With Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Researchers Say
Salt intake may be associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes. Research presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and published in Diabetologia found sodium intake increased the risk of developing both type 2 diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults.
Guidelines Discourage Using Brain Imaging as a Test for Chronic Pain
Recent advances in brain imaging have improved understanding of acute and chronic pain, but have led to an increased in the demand to use this data for insurance and medical legal cases. However, a task force is advising against the use of brain imaging as a “lie detector” test for chronic pain.
New Value-Based Insurance Plan Helps Consumers Who Use Healthcare the Most
As the healthcare industry struggles to address rising costs and unaffordable care, attention is turning to value-based benefit design options. Altarum has released its outline for a new value-based insurance design model that it will test at pilot sites across the country.
New Value-Based Insurance Plan Helps Consumers Who Use Healthcare the Most
As the healthcare industry struggles to address rising costs and unaffordable care, attention is turning to value-based benefit design options. Altarum has released its outline for a new value-based insurance design model that it will test at pilot sites across the country.
Possible Connections Between Sleep Issues and ADHD
There may be a connection between sleep troubles and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an expert at the 30th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress, which was held September 2-5 in Paris, France.
Hickenlooper, Kasich Discuss Bipartisan Health Reform Proposals and Remaining Challenges
Ohio Governor John Kasich and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper sat together at an event co-hosted by the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for American Progress to discuss bipartisan consensus around health reform policies and their commitment to quality, not quantity, medicine.
Just 3.3% of ED Visits Are Truly "Avoidable," Study Finds
Most emergency department (ED) visits may not be as preventable as once thought. A new study in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care pointed out that while some estimates of "avoidable" ED visits have run anywhere between 4.8% and 90%, the reality is even lower.
Healthy, but Still Hurting: Challenges of Cancer Survivorship
The assumption in the United States is that once someone with cancer is cured, done with treatment, and healthy, that they are now okay. However, the reality is that survivors contend with lingering challenges that aren’t visible and make it difficult for them to ask for help or admit they need it.
Severe Psoriasis Linked to Increased Risk of Death
Psoriasis severity has been linked to increased risk of death in a new study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Researchers found that the risk of death increased for patients who had more surface area covered by psoriasis.
Patient Support Program Improves Adherence to TNF Inhibitors in RA and IBD
Despite trials showing that antitumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy is safe and effective to treat inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis, but adherence rates remain low.