December 2011

In treatment of depression with adjunctive aripiprazole, early improvement (week 2) was a significant predictor of remission, and lack of improvement was associated with nonremission.

An approach including yoga, holistic nursing, and a "healing environment" can decrease medication use, resulting in substantial cost savings in care of inpatient oncology patients.

This study empirically examines whether market competition is a potential driver of hospital performance on the key evidence-based Joint Commission heart-failure quality indicators.

An insurance benefit that provides percutaneous coronary intervention patients with a discharge supply of antiplatelet medication could result in cost savings for insurers.

We found that, in 2008, variations across Texas in total spending and inpatient utilization are similar in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and Medicare.

Health plans have made substantial progress in the collection of language data and many are offering options for language services.

Physicians prescribe more broadly than commonly perceived. Although most physicians have a favorite drug, they are not reluctant to try new therapies.

Among a Medicare population, use of 3 self-reported health items improves predicted inpatient admissions and healthcare costs when used with risk-prediction model.

Recent legislative action and private sector innovation, driven by the unsustainability of the current system, may gradually create a business case for performance improvement.