Policy

Automated telephone calls can increase colorectal cancer screening rates at a cost of about $40 per additional screen.

Dr. Mark Fendrick, MD, Professor of Medicine and Health Management and Policy, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Michigan, Co-Editor-in-Chief, The American Journal of Managed Care, says that there are levers organizations and stakeholders can pull to achieve the goal of improving quality and value in cancer care.

This study used multivariate models to identify physician specialty and comfort with end-of-life discussions, both of which are associated with end-of-life referrals.

According to a report by Elsevier's BusinessIntelligence, UnitedHealthcare has announced that pharmacies that are participating in its Designated Specialty Pharmacy network will no longer redeem manufacturer-sponsored coupons as an offset to member cost-sharing payments for 6 specialty drugs beginning January 1, 2013.

Trade secrets may potentially be used to protect manufacturing processes for biological drugs--yet there is concern that the new law on biosimilars, the BPCIA (Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009), and the accompanying FDA regulations, may expose trade secrets of both originators and biosimilar applicants.

This study presents data on paid and rejected claims submitted by 1 large long-term care pharmacy over the initial 5 years of Medicare Part D.

Although there has been a concentrated focus on pulmonary vascular diseases at this year's CHEST conference, there have also been a number of studies released that pertain to cardiovascular events, such as congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here are some of the highlights in these areas.

As one might expect, lung cancer is one of the major focuses at each CHEST conference. The following are highlights from this year's recently released abstracts and late-breaking studies.

Although there have been a wide variety of disease states covered at this year's CHEST conference, much of the focus has been on those under the umbrella of pulmonary vascular disease, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and deep vein thrombosis. Here are some of the new study highlights related to pulmonary vascular disease.

Robert Frantz, MD, FACC, Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic, Mayo Clinic, says that the issue of cost is an important factor in treating patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Fecal immunochemical testing resulted in higher colorectal cancer screening rates than did guaiac fecal occult blood tests, with less dependence on office visits.

The following are highlights of abstracts that focus on readmission rates, an increasingly important subject for hospitals that are subject to evolving rules and regulations as they relate to reimbursement.

Integration of written-prescription data into medication adherence measures doubled the number of patients identified as nonadherent and improved prediction of follow-up LDL cholesterol.

Financial incentives may not be strong enough to influence physician goal commitment to guideline-recommended hypertension care when providers attribute performance to forces beyond their control.

The frailty determination of the Adjusted Clinical Groups“diagnoses based predictive model identified frail elders with moderate success compared with a validated screening questionnaire.