(Reuters Health)—Academic medical centers, increasingly spurned by insurers for being more expensive than community hospitals, appear to have lower death rates for older adults than other facilities, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers reviewed millions of records for patients aged 65 and older and insured by Medicare, the U.S. health program for the elderly. They found…
Tips for Managing Young Adult Rheumatology Patients
Often, young adults (18–23 years old) with rheumatic illness demonstrate poor adherence to treatment regimens, lack advocacy skills and have inadequate knowledge about diagnosis and treatment.1 Patients presenting at a transition clinic are typically comfortable with having their parents continue to be centrally involved with their care, but this is a time in life when…
Four-Week Methotrexate Break Improves Flu Shot Response in RA Patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Temporarily withholding methotrexate (MTX) can improve the efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new randomized clinical trial. Response was strongest in patients who discontinued MTX for two weeks before and two weeks after receiving the flu shot, Dr. Eun Bong Lee of Seoul National…
5 Easy-to-Implement Quality Improvement Projects for Rheumatology Practices
Quality assurance and quality improvement (QA/QI) work makes sense to focus on. However, finding the time and resources for QI projects is not always easy. Until now, the business case for QI in rheumatology practice has not always been clear. However, this is changing with implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA)…
Rheumatologists Respond to Prescription Opioid Analgesic Crisis
The alarming statistics on prescription opioid overdoses are well known to medical professionals, thanks to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s widely cited finding that deaths from opioid analgesics have increased fourfold since 1999.1 Half of all fatal drug overdoses now involve opioids prescribed by a doctor. Meanwhile, a lack of rigorous research…
How MACRA Has Affected Physician Compliance
In recent years, providers and practice groups have been worrying about Meaningful Use (MU) and gaining knowledge on using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to avoid payment penalties, earn incentives and increase practice efficiency. Now, with the release of the final rule for MACRA payment reform, physicians will have two options for payment paths:…
Rheumatology Coding Corner Answers: Eligibility Quiz
Take the challenge. B—Most employer insurance plans change on Jan. 1. Because of this, it is a best practice for medical office staff to ask if there is any change to a patient’s medical coverage. Even if the patient indicates there are no changes in coverage, staff should still request to review their insurance card….
Rheumatology Coding Corner Questions: Eligibility Quiz
An established patient is seen in the office for a scheduled visit with the rheumatologist at the start of the new year. What should the front desk staff do for all patients at the beginning of each year? Inform the patient that their co-pay is due prior to receiving treatment, and ask how they would…
Bigger, More Expensive Healthcare Practices Not Necessarily Better
(Reuters Health)—You might not get what you pay for when it comes to healthcare, a new study hints. A report in Health Affairs on May 2 found little association between how much physician practices charged and patients’ perceptions of their quality of care.1 “We’re asking consumers to make a lot of decisions about healthcare purchasing…
English Hospitals Divert Ambulances After Ransomware Cyber Attack
LONDON (Reuters)—Hospitals and doctors’ surgeries across England were forced to turn away patients and cancel appointments on Friday after a nationwide ‘ransomware’ cyber attack crippled some computer systems in the state-run health service. The U.K. National Health Service (NHS) said 16 organizations had been affected by the cyber attack but said it had not been…
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