Family Practice News articles from June 2009

Family Practice News archives from June 2009

Certification, PQRI timing deemed ideal.(PRACTICE TRENDS)(physicians' quality reporting initiative)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COLORADO SPRINGS -- This year and next it makes sense for family physicians to participate in Medicare's financially rewarding Physicians' Quality Reporting Initiative as part of their quality improvement and...

Survey: FPs retool practices to cope with recession: patients skip preventive care; fees are cut.(NEWS)(Survey)
June 1, 2009... Family doctors are changing the way they work, providing more charity care, and cutting fees as the recession impacts their patients and their practices, according to a survey released by the American Academy of Family Physicians. More...

Guideline: TIAs warrant imaging within 24 hours.(NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS)(transient ischemic attack)
June 1, 2009... Patients with a presumed transient ischemic attack should undergo a neuroimaging evaluation within 24 hours of their symptom onset, preferably with magnetic resonance imaging, according to new recommendations for evaluating the disorder. ...

Wait times to see an FP vary considerably in big cities.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... New patients wait about 20 days on average to get an appointment with a family physician, according to a survey of wait times in 15 large cities. A new patient seeking an appointment for a routine physical exam could wait anywhere from 3...

Average wait time for a new patient seeking an appointment.(VITAL SIGNS)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Average Wait Time for a New Patient Seeking an Appointment Ob.gyn. 27.5 days Dermatology 22 days Family medicine 20 days Orthopedic surgery 17 days Cardiology 15.5 days Note: Based on a...

Boxed warning required on testosterone gels.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Two prescription topical testosterone gels will now include a boxed warning following confirmed adverse effects in 8 children, the Food and Drug Administration announced last month. The children did not have the gel directly applied, but...

CBT effective for persistent insomnia.(NEWS)(cognitive-behavioral therapy)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with or without the addition of zolpidem, is effective against persistent insomnia, according to study findings. After 6 weeks of treatment, 60% of patients showed a response to the therapy, including 42%...

Medicare declines to cover virtual colonoscopy: CMS: while CTC is promising, questions need to be answered about health outcomes in an elderly population.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Medicare will not pay for computed tomographic colonography for colorectal cancer screening, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced last month. "We have determined that there is insufficient evidence on the test...

Economy hits women's health care, childbearing trends.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- Women forced to make tough economic choices are skipping annual ob.gyn, visits, cutting back on their medications, and postponing childbearing, according to a Gallup Organization survey released in conjunction with the annual meeting...

Jury out on prenatal thyroid screening for all.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- Research showing that a "high-risk" approach to prenatal thyroid screening misses 30% of women with hypothyroidism is convincing, but is still not enough to win widespread physician support for universal thyroid screening in...

Readmissions: a wake-up call.(COMMENTARY)(hospital admission and discharge)
June 1, 2009... Mounting evidence suggests that we need to do much more to reduce readmission rates. In a recent analysis of Medicare claims during 2003-2004, the 60-day readmission rate had climbed to 31.1%, compared with 22.5% in 1976-1978 (N. Engl. J. Med....

Artery disease cost: peripheral exceeds coronary.(CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE)
June 1, 2009... ORLANDO -- Peripheral artery disease is underdiagnosed and undertreated, possibly because in some quarters it is not considered as serious as other forms of atherosclerosis. Yet the mean patient costs for PAD are significantly higher than for...

CV disease/colorectal ca connection being missed.(CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE)
June 1, 2009... DENVER -- Physicians often miss the opportunity to recommend colorectal cancer screening in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, a national survey indicates. Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with cardiovascular risk...

Restenosis after drug-eluting stents is higher in diabetics.(CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... Patients with diabetes who receive drug-eluting stents are significantly more likely to experience restenosis than are nondiabetic patients, particularly if they get the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent, a large Swedish registry study has...

Undiagnosed diabetes may affect 3.8% of adults.(METABOLIC DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... The prevalence of elevated hemoglobin [A.sub.1c] levels in adults without a history of diabetes is 3.8%, based on an analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This indication of a significant prevalence of...

Part D 'doughnut hole' affects quarter of diabetic patients.(METABOLIC DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- About one-quarter of diabetes patients receiving Medicare Part D drug benefits enter the coverage gap--the so-called "doughnut hole"--that comes after using $2,250 in medications during a single year. Although some of...

Lower copays may improve adherence among diabetics.(METABOLIC DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- Modest reductions in medication copayments can encourage patients with diabetes to fill their prescriptions and use their drugs, according to researchers at the University of Michigan. As part of the Michigan Healthy...

Expert proposes lower normal range for TSH.(METABOLIC DISORDERS)(thyroid-stimulating hormone)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... PHILADELPHIA -- A lower normal range for thyroid-stimulating hormone would help physicians detect and treat more cases of occult hypothyroidism, Dr. Leonard Wartofsky said at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. Based...

Flu shot advice hits home with asthma patients: children who receive recommendation from their physician are far more likely to get vaccinated.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
June 1, 2009... BALTIMORE -- Among children with asthma who received a recommendation from their physician to get the influenza vaccine, the rate of subsequent vaccination was 76%, compared with 16% among children who reported not receiving a recommendation...

Response to influenza vaccine may be blunted in the elderly.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
June 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- Trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine may not elicit a clinically adequate antibody response in elderly adults, pilot data suggest. Based on blood assays taken before and 4 weeks after administration of the Fluarix 2007/2008...

Prior antibiotic use could increase resistant UTI risk.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)(urinary tract infection)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... BALTIMORE -- Antibiotic exposure within the previous 30 days increased the risk for an antimicrobial-resistant first-time urinary tract infection nearly fourfold in a retrospective cohort study of 533 healthy children aged 6 months to 6 years....

Rotavirus hospitalizations down 84% since 2006.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)(Survey)
June 1, 2009... BALTIMORE -- Rotavirus hospitalizations declined by 84% from 2006 to 2008 among children less than 3 years of age, suggesting a dramatic vaccination effect. That degree of decline was seen even among children aged 2-3 years who were...

Larger margins urged for melanoma excision.(SKIN DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... AUSTIN, TEX. -- The commonly accepted standard of using 5-mm margins for surgical excision of melanoma in situ may not be enough to clear the large majority of tumors, said Dr. Joy Kunishige. Speaking at the annual meeting of the American...

Psoriasis studies conflict on CV mortality risk.(SKIN DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... MONTREAL -- Mortality rates are significantly increased in patients with severe psoriasis compared with the general population, according to two new studies. But the studies have conflicting results regarding cause of death, researchers...

Beer consumption associated with increased psoriasis risk.(SKIN DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... MONTREAL -- Women who drank alcohol, especially those who consumed at least five beers per week, were at increased risk of developing psoriasis, based on an analysis of the Nurses' Health Study. Compared with abstainers, women who drank...

Results challenge pregnancy weight gain advice.(WOMEN'S HEALTH)
June 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- Virtually any weight gain during pregnancy by obese women with gestational diabetes resulted in high rates of large-for-gestational-age infants, according to a study released at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Ultrasound pinpoints endometrial hyperplasia diagnosis in adolescents.(WOMEN'S HEALTH)
June 1, 2009... SAN ANTONIO -- Increased endometrial thickness on ultrasound is a strong risk factor for endometrial hyperplasia in adolescent and young women with prolonged, irregular menstrual bleeding. "There are very scarce data on adolescent women,"...

Weight reduction key to cutting endometrial ca risk in obese patients.(WOMEN'S HEALTH)
June 1, 2009... DENVER -- Even long-term use of oral contraceptives can't nullify the substantially increased risk of endometrial cancer conferred by obesity, results of a case-control study show. "These results highlight the importance of weight reduction...

Primary care urged to screen vets for suicide.(MENTAL HEALTH)
June 1, 2009... MONTREAL -- Suicide screening can be done quickly and easily for veterans attending routine primary care visits, according to Hani Shabana, Ph.D., from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salem, Va. "Primary care is a largely untapped...

Tool screens families at risk for food insecurity.(MENTAL HEALTH)(Survey)
June 1, 2009... BALTIMORE -- A highly accurate two-question screening tool for food insecurity can be administered easily and quickly in the primary care setting, according to its developers. Answers of "'sometimes true" or "'often true" to either or both...

Diabetes may raise risk of hepatocellular cancer.(DIGESTIVE DISORDERS)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2009... DENVER -- Diabetes appears to be an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, with the risk rising as duration of the endocrine disease increases, according to an ongoing, prospective case-control study. Also, the magnitude of...

FDA warns about liver risks of recalled dietary supplement.(DIGESTIVE DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... Reports of severe liver injuries--including one fatality--associated with Hydroxycut brand dietary supplements have prompted a nationwide product recall, the Food and Drug Administration announced last month. The products are marketed as...

Clinical tool helps triage patients with pancreatitis.(DIGESTIVE DISORDERS)(harmless acute pancreatitis score)
June 1, 2009... A simple scoring system for identifying patients with acute pancreatitis who do not require intensive care was 98% accurate and took about 30 minutes to complete, according to Dr. Paul Georg Lankisch and his colleagues. The tool, known as...

Arthritis deemed the iceberg of U.S. disability.(MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... A recent government report finding that arthritis and rheumatism account for much of the disability in Americans may be an underestimate. The estimated percentage of Americans reporting a disability increased by 7.7% from 1999 to 2005, from...

New pain management guidelines take aim at NSAIDs.(MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS)(nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
June 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- An updated guideline addressing persistent pain in older people takes a tough stance on the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) guideline recommends that acetaminophen be considered...

NSAIDs tied to sudden cardiac arrest.(MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS)(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... ORLANDO -- Diclofenac, celecoxib, and rofecoxib are associated with dose-dependent increased risks of sudden cardiac arrest, according to a large national Danish study. No increased risk was noted in conjunction with the use of ibuprofen...

Cognitively impaired benefit from exercise.(GERIATRIC MEDICINE)
June 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- A brief exercise program reduced agitated behavior in a pilot study of 50 nursing home residents with severe cognitive impairment. Other studies have already shown that exercise programs can reduce agitation and depression, and...

Topical gel offers overactive bladder option.(GERIATRIC MEDICINE)(Oxybutynin chloride)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- Oxybutynin chloride topical gel provides a novel treatment option for patients with overactive bladder, according to the findings of a randomized, multicenter phase III study. In the trial, 24% of 246 patients, younger than age...

Use of antiepileptics linked to increase in fracture risk.(NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... SEATTLE -- Older adults in the general population have an elevated risk of fractures related to osteoporosis if they take certain antiepileptic drugs, according to a population-based analysis. "Prior studies have shown that antiepileptic...

Pramipexole has antidepressant effects in Parkinson's patients.(NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS)
June 1, 2009... SEATTLE -- Pramipexole reduces depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease, largely independent of its effect on motor symptoms, according to the results of a randomized trial. An estimated 45% of patients with Parkinson's...

Infections emerge long after cancer's treatment.(CANCER)
June 1, 2009... DENVER -- Long-term survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma are at increased risk for pneumonia and other severe infections, even 20 years or more after the diagnosis of their malignancy, according to a Swedish national study. Hospital registry...

Diet, exercise improve ca survivors' function.(CANCER)
June 1, 2009... A home-based diet and exercise program reduced the rate of functional decline in a study of more than 600 overweight and older cancer survivors, according to a trial involving more than 600 people. Even modest lifestyle changes elicited by...

Panel wrestles with criteria for genetic test coverage.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
June 1, 2009... BALTIMORE -- If Medicare is going to pay for genetic tests, what criteria should it use to decide which to cover? That was one of the questions tackled by a Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee panel at a May...

Genetic tests affect parents' intentions.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... BALTIMORE -- The results of predictive genetic testing can have a big impact on the intention of parents with type 2 diabetes to try to prevent the disease in their children, despite the independent effect of the child's weight on disease risk,...

A personalized paradox.(GENOMIC MEDICINE)(Column)
June 1, 2009... My previous columns have considered the tensions between those who believe genomics will revolutionize medicine and those who feel that genomic medicine is only a pipedream. Confined in the bubble of the National Institutes of Health, I...

National Health Service Corps receives $2.5 b.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
June 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- With $2.5 billion in Recovery Act funding, major changes are in the works for the National Health Service Corps. And according to new Health Resources and Services Administration director Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N., the money...

Health reform options include boost to primary care.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
June 1, 2009... The health reform package being crafted in Congress could include Medicare payment bonuses to primary care physicians and general surgeons, according to policy options released by leaders of the Senate Finance Committee. The 52-page paper...

Part A to go broke in 2017.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will run out of money in 2017--2 years earlier than predicted last year--in part because the fund is collecting fewer payroll taxes during the recession, trustees of the fund announced in their annual...

Mental heath parity comments due.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 )(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The federal government is seeking public comments before implementing a law that demands broader insurance coverage for mental health benefits. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires that health plans use the same...

Families can't afford insurance.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The majority of uninsured American families can't afford to buy nongroup health insurance, according to a study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study measured families' median net worth--their savings plus other assets...

Medical homes are challenging.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Transforming a primary care practice into a patient-centered medical home requires "epic whole-practice reimagination and redesign," according to researchers reporting on one of the first demonstrations of the model. The results of the 2-year...

Promo items influence students.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Subtle exposures to small promotional items, such as notepaper with printed logos, influences medical students' attitudes toward pharmaceutical brands, a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed. However, medical school policies on...

New web site pushes reform.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Voices of Physicians campaign)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Doctors for America, a new grassroots physician organization, is launching a campaign to get physicians' voices heard on health care reform. The "Voices of Physicians" campaign has collected and published comments from doctors nationwide at...

Definition of 'meaningful use' varies when it comes to EHRs.(PRACTICE TRENDS)(electronic health records)
June 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- Just what exactly does "meaningful use" mean? It sounds like a simple question, but there's a lot of money riding on the answer. The Recovery Act, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, stipulates that...

Coalition pledges to cut rise in health care costs by $2 trillion.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
June 1, 2009... Leaders of several health care and labor organizations met with President Obama at the White House and proposed ideas to reduce the growth in health care costs by as much as $2 trillion over the next decade. In a letter sent to the...

ICD-10 deemed more complicated, but useful.(PRACTICE TRENDS)(International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision)
June 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- The upcoming ICD-10 diagnosis and procedure coding system is more complicated than was its predecessor, ICD-9, but it will allow for a greater level of clinical detail and will be better able to keep up with advances in...

Deep-fried controversy.(INDICATIONS)(Psycho Donuts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The next stop on our tour of the world's medically themed restaurants is Psycho Donuts in Campbell, Calif. "We bid a fond farewell to the tired, round ring of lameness," says the shop's Web site (www. psycho-donuts.com), but not to nurse...

Work your way to fitness.(INDICATIONS)(treadmill desk)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Okay, so you managed to run the gauntlet of picketers at Psycho Donuts and snag yourself a couple of Bipolars on the way to work. But now you're sitting at your desk, eating donuts. Just sitting there. If only there were a way to exercise while...

Cancer survivors lack ideal screening.(NEWS)
June 15, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ORLANDO -- Fewer than half of childhood cancer survivors who are deemed to be at high risk of secondary breast, colon, and skin malignancies follow cancer-screening and surveillance recommendations as adults,...

Biyearly zoledronic acid gets nod for prevention.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
June 15, 2009... The Food and Drug Administration has approved biyearly dosing of the osteoporosis drug zoledronic acid (Reclast) for the prevention of bone loss in postmenopausal women, making it the first bisphosphonate in its class to get the nod for a...

Our publishing schedule shifts to cut costs.(ASK THE EXPERT)(Editorial)
June 15, 2009... FAMILY PRACTICE NEWS will be published once monthly in July, August, and December this year. These reductions in the frequency are being taken to cut costs during these difficult economic times. At the same time, the staff of FAMILY...

Analysis backs benazepril-amlodipine combo.(CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE)
June 15, 2009... SAN FRANCISCO -- A new analysis supports a controversial study that challenged the favored role of diuretics in combination therapy for hypertension, but some experts remain skeptical. Dr. Kenneth Jamerson, lead investigator of the Avoiding...

Trial quantifies exercise benefits in heart failure.(CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE)(Report)
June 15, 2009... ORLANDO -- Heart failure patients who engage in aerobic activity can lower their risk of all-cause mortality or hospitalization, according to a new secondary analysis of data from a major National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute--sponsored...

Fenofibrate may prevent amputation in type 2.(METABOLIC DISORDERS)
June 15, 2009... Fenofibrate use is associated with a lower risk of amputation in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly in those who have no known large-vessel disease. This effect appears to be unrelated to fenofibrate's antihypertensive effects or...

Diabetes increases atrial fibrillation risk by 18%.(METABOLIC DISORDERS)
June 15, 2009... BOSTON -- Patients with diabetes have both a higher prevalence and incidence of atrial fibrillation, based on a case-control study with nearly 35,000 patients. "The prevalence of atrial fibrillation [AF] is more than 40% higher in patients...

Viral meningitis? Think acute HIV infection.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
June 15, 2009... COLORADO SPRINGS -- "When you're running a Monospot test, when you're thinking viral meningitis, you also should be thinking acute HIM" according to Dr. Benjamin Young. European studies conducted in healthcare systems with comprehensive...

Periocular skin cancers tend to be basal cell carcinoma.(SKIN DISORDERS)(Report)
June 15, 2009... AUSTIN, TEX. -- A chart review aimed at quantifying the incidence and type of periocular skin cancers showed that the vast majority were basal cell carcinomas, and that there was a slight predominance of the cancers in men. The study was...

Colorectal cancer screening age limit criticized.(DIGESTIVE DISEASES)(Report)
June 15, 2009... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Nearly 50% of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at two large tertiary-care hospitals in Michigan would fall outside recommendations that limit routine screening to patients who are 50-75 years of age. Last year,...

Screening colonoscopy not beneficial beyond age 70.(DIGESTIVE DISEASES)(Report)
June 15, 2009... MIAMI BEACH -- The use of colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer may cause net harm if continued beyond age 70, according to a clinical- and cost-effectiveness study. Fecal occult blood testing, on the other hand, remained both effective...

Even occasional drinking puts NASH patients at risk.(DIGESTIVE DISEASES)(Clinical report)
June 15, 2009... CHICAGO -- Drinking even two or fewer alcoholic drinks per day nearly quadruples the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis due to both nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatitis C infection, a prospective study has...

Too many pregnant women still drink alcohol.(WOMEN'S HEALTH)
June 15, 2009... Pregnant women consumed just as much alcohol in 2005 as they did in 1991, with 12% drinking at least once during pregnancy and 2% reporting binge drinking. The findings, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, illustrate...

Frailty markers predicted post-op mortality.(GERIATRIC MEDICINE)
June 15, 2009... INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. -- Elderly patients with at least four of six markers of frailty before elective major surgery were significantly more likely to die within 6 months after surgery, a prospective study of 110 subjects showed. More than...

Program improves comorbid depression, pain.(MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS)
June 15, 2009... A program of optimized antidepressant therapy and pain self-management in patients with comorbid depression and chronic pain produced substantial and sustained reductions in disability and depression and pain severity. The program, which...

Age at onset of SLE sets osteonecrosis risk in children.(MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS)(Clinical report)
June 15, 2009... BOSTON -- The incidence of steroid-induced osteonecrosis is significantly lower in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus than in adults with the disease, according to the Findings of a prospective MRI study. Additionally, among pediatric...

Bronchial thermoplasty demonstrates efficacy: experimental radiofrequency energy system reduced asthma attacks by 32%, ED visits by 84%.(PULMONARY MEDICINE)
June 15, 2009... SAN DIEGO -- The Alair Bronchial Thermoplasty System produced significant improvements in quality of life in 79% of patients with severe asthma who underwent treatment, compared with 64% of sham controls, results from a randomized, multicenter...

Nonsustained hypotension in sepsis is red flag.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
June 15, 2009... NEW ORLEANS -- Nonsustained hypotension in emergency department patients with sepsis was associated with a threefold increased rate of in-hospital mortality in a large prospective study. "Clinicians should consider any hypotension in the...

ED mental health screening favored, but stigma persists.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
June 15, 2009... SAN FRANCISCO -- Teenagers and their parents favor the idea of routine mental health screening for adolescents who come to emergency departments, but don't think it necessarily applies to them, a survey of 604 people found. The 299...

Teams bring coordinated care to small practices.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
June 15, 2009... PHILADELPHIA -- Community health teams can bring the patient-centered medical home approach to small, primary care practices that otherwise would not be able to afford a group of care coordinators. The idea behind community health teams...

Can inactive physicians be lured back to work?(PRACTICE TRENDS)
June 15, 2009... WASHINGTON -- The availability of part time work and flexible scheduling could entice older and inactive physicians to reenter the workforce, a recent survey found. This in turn could offer a partial solution to the nation's shortage of...

Feds launch disease program.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 15, 2009... The National Institutes of Health has launched a $24 million drug development program to produce new treatments for rare and neglected diseases. The Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases program, funded by Congress this spring, creates a...

AHRQ: quality improving slowly.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 15, 2009... U.S. health care quality continued to improve at a slow pace in 2008, but many Americans still do not receive recommended care, the annual quality report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found. Quality varies widely...

Family medical spending rises.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 15, 2009... A typical U.S. family of four will account for about $16,711 in medical spending this year, up $1,162 from last year, according to a report from actuarial firm Milliman, Inc. Of the total, employers paid 59% and families 41%, according to the...

Medicaid plans save states money.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
June 15, 2009... Medicaid health plans appear to be saving money for most states, increasing access to and quality of care, according to a study performed by the Lewin Group for insurer group America's Health Insurance Plans. Lewin analyzed 24 existing studies...

Paperwork for insurers costs $31 billion a year.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
June 15, 2009... Physicians and their staffs spend the equivalent of weeks--and $31 billion--each year processing health insurance paperwork, according to a study funded by the Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The survey of 895...