Health Care Delivery

Naturally occurring variations in appointment frequencies do not appear to have a major impact on clinical outcomes, but they significantly affect waiting times.

House Republicans voted to ban quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) from being used as a drug pricing metric in federal health programs; insurance executives disapproved of newly proposed 2025 Medicare Advantage (MA) rates; patients with long COVID enrolled in an online exercise program said their health improved more than people who received standard care.

Experts explain how diabetes is diagnosed during pregnancy, how treatment differs from that of nonpregnant individuals, the importance of diabetes technology education, and how things change postpartum.

Clinical investigators evaluated the impact of home health services on disability status and receipt of treatment among adults 66 years and older with a new diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM).

Mark A. Socinski, MD, executive director at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, discusses the importance of lung cancer screening in eligible patients, including the need for primary care providers to ensure screening is being implemented.

A case-control study found that patients with early-onset Merkel cell carcinoma exhibited genetic variations associated with the development of their disease.

Investigators say adolescents had difficulty adhering to the workbook-based program, but the authors said changes—and perhaps a digital format—could improve the program’s performance.

States channel billions into housing for the homeless using Medicaid funds; AstraZeneca invests $300 million to discover and develop cell therapies; the CDC highlights dangers of menthol cigarette addiction.

A survey revealed the influence of prior stigmatic or discriminatory experiences on sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients’ perceptions of screening for skin cancer, stressing the need for affirming clinical settings.

Using an instrumental variable approach, this study is the first to present causal estimates of the effect of preventive dental visits on overall medical expenditures.

Although 30-day mortality rates did not worsen for Medicare beneficiaries at hospitals with high proportions of Black patients compared with other hospitals, gaps in outcomes widened for Black adults with pneumonia under the Medicare Value-Based Purchasing Program.

The gene therapy delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl, also known as Elevidys (Sarepta Therapeutics) is indicated to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in ambulatory patients aged 4 to 5 years, and Sarepta recently filed supplemental data with the FDA seeking to expand the labeled indication.

About half of patients receiving the procedure did not need medication to control their blood pressure after 5 years.

Among Medicare beneficiaries, implantation was especially frequent for female patients and those undergoing tricuspid valve replacement with or without concomitant left-sided heart surgeries.

The use of ibudilast in the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) has been suggested to reduce lesion volume in patients.

Novo Holdings to acquire Catalent for $11.5 billion; cancer incidence is expected to surge 77% by 2050; Silicon Valley’s county takes a bold step to address the rising loneliness crisis.

A state-wide analysis draws attention to the fact individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) completed a vaccination against COVID-19 at nearly half the rate of individuals without SCD.

The authors say their 3D model improves on results using traditional 2-dimensional approaches.

The Center on Health Equity and Access provides real-time updates, shares cutting-edge research, and supports continuous efforts dedicated to tackling health care disparities and enhancing widespread access to high-quality health services.

The article emphasizes the significance of accreditations in addressing health disparities and promoting health equity, highlighting programs for achieving accreditation and advocating for the integration of social determinants of health (SDOH) and health equity practices within pharmacy and health care.

Patients with comorbid acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) expressed a desire to discuss treatment options and maintain normalcy; they were not willing to have conversations involving their prognosis and future.

A retrospective analysis surveys the treatment landscape and patterns of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), illuminating high hospitalization rates and emergency department use despite the availability of multiple treatment options.

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies concludes that sleep could be a prognostic component of lower back pain, but better evidence is needed.

The findings not only underscore the efficacy of 2 major interventions—Behavioral Activation Psychotherapy (BA) and Antidepressant Medication Management (MEDS)—but also support patient autonomy in choosing their preferred path to mental well-being.

A large-scale, population-based study examined patterns of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) exposure in pregnant patients with MS since 2010, revealing increased occurrences and the need for future studies to examine the impact of newer-developed DMTs.

Days spent obtaining health care outside the home may show access to needed care, but also add up to substantial time, effort, and cost burdens to patients and those who care for them, according to the study authors.

Medicare-eligible patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) could save on health care costs by utilizing the 40-gene expression profile (40-GEP) to guide treatment decisions.

A national analysis found significant disparities between non-binary transgender individuals and cisgender individuals related to mental health.

This analysis compared outcomes among patients who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and commercial insurance or Medicaid, focusing on how these differ between patients in clinical trials and those who receive treatment post approval.

Research on the state of health care, health outcomes, and health inequities in the criminal justice system continually advocates for structural-level reform and the recognition that carceral health issues are in fact public health issues.