Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Nephrology for December 2014. 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.
AMA Identifies Top 10 Issues That Affected Docs in 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The top 10 issues that affected physicians in 2014 include many regulatory issues relating to Medicare and data release, as well as health issues such as overprescribing of antibiotics and the Ebola crisis, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Ebola, ACA, VA Scandal Top U.S. Health News for 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- It started as a deadly but little-known outbreak in West Africa, but the lethal and unchecked spread of the Ebola virus dominated U.S. headlines for much of 2014, making it one of the year's top health news features.
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Vancomycin Linked to Kidney Damage in Children
TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Treating children who have drug-resistant bacterial infections with high doses of the antibiotic vancomycin may raise the risk of kidney damage, with greater risk at higher doses, according to research published in the December issue of the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.
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Fiber Intake Tied to Reduced Risk of Kidney Stones
TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Greater dietary intake of fiber, fruits, and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of incident kidney stones in postmenopausal women, according to research published in the December issue of The Journal of Urology.
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2015 Medicare Fee Schedule Offers Payment for Chronic Care
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The 2015 Medicare Fee Schedule includes a Current Procedural Terminology Code that pays for clinical staff time for developing and implementing a care plan for patients with two or more chronic conditions, according to an article published Dec. 18 in Medical Economics.
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Metformin Seems Safe for Some With Impaired Kidney Function
TUESDAY, Dec. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For individuals with impaired kidney function, evidence suggests that metformin use is safe in those with mild or moderate disease, according to a review published in the Dec. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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FDA Approves Combination Antibiotic Zerbaxa
TUESDAY, Dec. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The combination antibiotic Zerbaxa (ceftolozane/tazobactam) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with complicated intra-abdominal infections and complicated urinary tract infections.
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Hospitalization Risk Seen With Clarithromycin + Certain Statins
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Combining clarithromycin with certain statins increases the risk of adverse outcomes that can lead to hospitalization or even death, according to a new study published online Dec. 22 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Thiazide Prophylaxis for Kidney Stones Doesn't Increase DM Risk
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of diabetes mellitus is not increased with thiazide diuretic prophylaxis for kidney stones, according to research published in the December issue of The Journal of Urology.
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CKD, Glomerulonephritis Risk Higher for Those With Psoriasis
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Psoriasis is associated with a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and glomerulonephritis (GN), according to a study published online Dec. 15 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
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HbA1c <7.6% Cuts Long-Term Vascular Complications in T1DM
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with type 1 diabetes, long-term weighted mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is associated with development of severe microvascular complications, according to a study published online Dec. 15 in Diabetes Care.
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Tips Offered to Docs, Spouses for Maintaining Happy Marriage
FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Simple tips can help physicians and their spouses maintain marital happiness, according to an article published in the American Medical Association (AMA) Alliance magazine Physician Family.
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Resting Heart Rate Predicts Renal Outcomes in High-Risk Patients
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease, resting heart rate (RHR) can predict renal outcomes, according to research published online Nov. 27 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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Hospital Staff Say 'Crisis Mode' Obstructs Communication
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Staff members who perceive a work climate of crisis mode in their hospital units say that it leads to problems in exchanging patient information, according to research published online Dec. 10 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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Digital Self-Scheduling Set to Increase Considerably by 2019
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Digital self-scheduling is set to increase considerably in the next five years, according to a report published by Accenture.
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Challenges ID'd in Development of the Physician Compare Website
TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), information must be made available to allow the public to compare physicians, although there are considerable challenges surrounding the development of the physician performance website, Physician Compare. These challenges are addressed in a health policy brief published online Dec. 11 in Health Affairs.
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Support for Electronic Health Information Varies With Use
TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Consent and purpose are important for public support of secondary uses of electronic health information, according to a study published in the Dec. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Physicians Reminded of Ethical Obligations Regarding Torture
TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- With the issuing of the new U.S. Senate report on interrogations, the American Medical Association (AMA) is reminding physicians of their ethical obligations relating to torture and interrogation.
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Physicians Should Scrutinize Job Offers Before Accepting
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians should scrutinize job offers and pay attention to specific issues before accepting a job, according to an article published Dec. 3 in Medical Economics.
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Webcast Scheduled to Discuss Maintenance of Certification
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New data relating to Maintenance of Certification (MOC) will be discussed in a free webcast to be held Dec. 17 by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
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Tips Offered for Docs to Manage Their Online Reputation
FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians can manage their online reputation, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Dietary Intake Tool Validated for Renal Patients With Low Literacy
THURSDAY, Dec. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A renal food frequency questionnaire (RFF) is a valid and reliable tool for patients with limited literacy, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in the Journal of Renal Care.
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More Students Enrolling in U.S. Medical Schools
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More students are enrolling in medical schools, and enrollees are more diverse than before, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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More Docs, Patients Not Speaking Same Language
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People applying to become medical residents in the United States speak a wide range of non-English languages, but many aren't the languages spoken by patients with limited English skills, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
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Higher Paid Docs Earn More Money From More Procedures
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- High-income doctors make more money by ordering more procedures for each patient rather than by seeing more patients, according to an analysis of 2012 Medicare data published in a research letter Dec. 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Work-Hour Restrictions Have Not Improved Outcomes
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Reducing medical residents' work hours hasn't improved mortality rates, hospital readmission rates, or outcomes of surgery, according to two new studies published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
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Docs Trained in High-Cost Areas Practice More Costly Medicine
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors who were trained in high-cost areas of the United States may be more likely to practice expensive medicine, a new study suggests; however, that effect gradually decreases over time. The study was published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
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New U.S. Kidney Transplant Rules Take Effect
FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New rules intended to create a more level playing field for those awaiting kidney transplants in the United States went into effect Thursday.
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AMA: Social Determinants of Health to Be Taught in Med School
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new policy implemented by the American Medical Association (AMA) supports integrating more training on the social determinants of health into undergraduate medical education, according to a report published by the AMA.
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Too Much Patient Care Tied to Faculty Members' Intent to Leave
TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Spending "far too much/too much" time/effort on patient care is associated with increased intent to leave the institution, according to research published in Academic Medicine.
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Doctor Discusses Ways to Keep Morale in Medicine High
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Despite the many frustrations for doctors in medical practice, there are ways to keep morale high, according to an article published Nov. 20 in Medical Economics.
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Many Physicians Report Their Incomes Have Plateaued
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians report that their personal income has not changed since last year, according to the results of the Physicians Practice 2014 Physicians Compensation Survey.
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Experts Provide Guidance for Renal Masses in Pediatrics
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Renal tumors are rare in the pediatric population, and uncertainty surrounding pathology complicates management, according to a state-of-the-art review article published online Dec. 1 in Pediatrics.
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