AJMC® in the Press, February 9, 2018

Studies from The American Journal of Managed Care^® (AJMC^®) annual Health Information Technology (IT) issue continue to be cited in press reports. A feature in EHRIntelligence on ongoing problems in electronic health record (EHR) data integration noted the study by Darwyyn Deyo, PhD, et al, that found the lack of integrated image data in patient electronic records or exchanges could contribute to ineffective data sharing between EHR systems. Providers within the same system had lower mortality rates and improved health outcomes.

The outlet Clinical Innovation+Technology also discussed a separate study from the Health IT issue. That study, led by Timothy J. Daskivich, MD, MSHPM, found that EHR-based assessments were often not adequate for identifying major comorbidities and poorly predicted survival. EHR-based “problem lists” only identified 8% of myocardial infarctions, for example.

The National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC) cited 2 AJMC^® articles in its newsletter this week. It cited coverage from the AcademyHealth conference, where NPC Chief Science Officer Robert Dubois, MD, PhD, told attendees that healthcare experts cannot “keep having the same discussions” about too much waste and low-value spending in the system. NPC also cited coverage of a study led by Robert Navarro, PharmD, of the potential of risk-sharing contracts to reduce drug prices.

The Journal-Times of Racine, Wisconsin, cited an AJMC^® study in its report on the effect of the opioid epidemic on employers. The study found opioid use cost employers $10 billion a year in both absenteeism and presenteeism, which occurs when employees are at work but not productive.