April 2017 Briefing - Allergy
Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Allergy for April 2017. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Meeting Organizers Overlooking Qualified Female Scientists
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Invited speakers at medical conferences tend to be disproportionately male, a disparity that can be addressed by actively preparing lists of potential speakers, according to a study published online April 18 in Nature Immunology.
Routine Blood Tests Can Harm Patient Care
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Routine blood tests waste money and can damage patient care, according to an opinion piece published online April 27 in the BMJ.
Risk Factors in Six Areas Tied to Physician Burnout
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Physician burnout factors include control, whether there is time to deliver excellent care, and whether the workplace is fair, according to a presentation at the Medical Group Management Association/American Medical Association 2017 Collaborate in Practice Conference, held April 9 to 11 in Chicago.
Single-Payer Health System Bill Moves Forward in California
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A proposal to replace private insurance with government-funded health care for all moved forward in California on Wednesday as Democrats on the Senate Health Committee voted to advance the measure.
Pollution Linked to Destructive Effect on Upper Sinonasal Airway
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure of the sinonasal airway barrier to chronic airborne particulate matter has destructive effects, including release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, according to an experimental study published online Feb. 28 in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.
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Electronic Drug Administration Record App Cuts Errors
THURSDAY, April 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Use of an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) application can reduce the rate of medication errors in medication administration recording (ME-MAR), according to a study published online April 18 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Potential Benefits, Risks of OpenNotes Discussed
WEDNESDAY, April 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The benefits of sharing notes with patients include improved patient engagement and empowerment, while potential risks may include more phone calls, questions, and increased documentation time, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Various Diagnostic Tools Available for Ocular Allergy
TUESDAY, April 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- There are currently various tools available for diagnosing ocular allergy, although several unmet needs remain, according to a position paper published online April 7 in Allergy.
Doctors Need to Be Mindful of What They Post on Social Media
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Young doctors often have unprofessional or offensive content on their Facebook profiles, according to a study published online April 9 in BJU International.
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Work Impairment Common in Uncontrolled Allergic Rhinitis
FRIDAY, April 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Data collected from a mobile phone app show that many patients with uncontrolled allergic rhinitis have some work impairment, according to a study published online April 7 in Allergy.
Integrated E-Prescribing Can Cut Prescribing, Dispensing Errors
MONDAY, April 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- An integrated electronic medication prescribing (e-prescribing) and dispensing system can reduce prescribing and dispensing errors, according to a study published online March 30 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
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MACRA Changes Government Approach to Doctor Payment
FRIDAY, April 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) has made fundamental changes to the government's approach to physician payment, according to a March 27 policy brief published in Health Affairs.
Risk Adjustment, Reinsurance Transfer Offer Financial Benefit
THURSDAY, April 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Risk adjustment and reinsurance transfer programs seem to have been effective for increasing revenues at the expense of claims costs, according to research published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
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Physicians Finding Ways to Work Around Cost of Rx Medications
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- In an effort to mitigate the increasing cost of prescription medications, some physicians are creating novel workaround solutions, according to an article published by Kaiser Health News.
Ruling Out Penicillin Allergy by Testing Inpatients Saves Money
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Inpatient penicillin allergy testing is effective for ruling out penicillin allergy, and results in increased prescription of penicillin and cephalosporin, according to a review published online March 29 in Allergy.
Second Opinion Yields Different Diagnosis for 1 in 5 Patients
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- One-fifth of patients who sought a second opinion recently at a single academic medical center had received a different diagnosis from their primary care providers, according to a study published online April 4 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Doctors Must Be Wary of HIPAA Violations With Online Reviews
TUESDAY, April 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians should be aware that responding to a negative health care review could potentially expose personal medical information, resulting in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Variation in Occupational Influenza Vaccination Coverage
TUESDAY, April 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- There is variation in influenza vaccination coverage by industry and occupation, including among health care personnel and other occupational groups who may have first priority to receive influenza vaccination during a pandemic (tier 1), according to a study published in the April 1 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
Mylan Issues Voluntary Recall of Some EpiPen Auto-Injectors
MONDAY, April 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Mylan, the maker of EpiPen, says it is recalling select lots of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. due to a defect that might render it difficult to activate in an emergency.
Use of Health Literacy Tools Can Promote Shared Decision Making
MONDAY, April 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Use of health literacy tools is encouraged for facilitating shared decision making (SDM), according to an article published in the March issue of the AMA Journal of Ethics.
