Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Orthopedics 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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Pre-Op Depression Tied to Fewer Gains in QOL After Spinal Surgery
TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing lumbar decompression or posterior cervical fusion (PCF), preoperative depression is associated with lower improvements in postoperative quality of life (QOL), according to two studies published in the Jan. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Abstract - Alvin
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Surgery or Medical Tx for Cervical Epidural Abscesses?
MONDAY, Dec. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- At one medical center, early operative management of cervical spine epidural abscess (CSEA) appeared to offer the benefit of improved neurologic outcome, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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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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Many States Slow to Update Preparticipation Physical Exams
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many states have been slow to adopt preparticipation physical evaluation-fourth edition (PPE-4) recommendations, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in Pediatrics.
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Inpatient Admissions Predict Peri-Op Risk in Lumbar Fusion
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion, inpatient admissions in the prior year are associated with increased complication rate, length of stay, and total charges, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
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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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Viewpoint: Strong Mentorship 'Paramount' in Surgical Training
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The role of mentorship is explored through the career of Alfred Blalock, M.D., in a viewpoint piece published online Dec. 17 in JAMA Surgery.
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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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Pre-Op Opioid Use Tied to Higher Post-Op Dependence
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Greater preoperative opioid use predicts increased immediate postoperative opioid demand and decreased incidence of postoperative opioid independence among spine surgery patients, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of Spine.
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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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Cervical Discectomy Without Fusion Cost-Effective Strategy
FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Anterior cervical discectomy without fusion (ACD) may be the most effective and cost-effective alternative for the treatment of one-level cervical disc disease, according to research published in the Dec. 1 issue of Spine.
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Post-Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss May Ease Knee Pain
FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Current evidence, though limited, suggests that bariatric surgery with subsequent marked weight loss may reduce knee complaints in morbidly obese adults, according to research published online Dec. 8 in Obesity Reviews.
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Nutrition, Weight Loss Key in Mobility-Impaired Adults
THURSDAY, Dec. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Nutrition and weight loss research is needed in adults with mobility-impairing conditions, according to a review published in the December issue of Obesity Reviews.
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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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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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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.
Abstract - Patel
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Abstract - Bilimoria
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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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Postural Sway Mediated by Low Back Pain, Not Fear of Pain
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Changes in postural sway are caused by low back pain (LBP), but not pain-related fear, indicating that pain control should be a treatment component in the rehabilitation process to restore optimal postural control, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of Spine.
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Complication Rate Up for Elderly Undergoing Spinal Fusion
MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients aged 65 years or older have a higher likelihood of complications when undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), compared to younger patients, according to research published in the Dec. 1 issue of Spine.
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Hard Hit to Chest Triggered A-Fib in Teen Football Player
MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A hard hit to the chest during a football game resulted in three days of an irregular heart rhythm for a 16-year-old player, researchers report in a new case study.
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Vigorous Back Massage Can Cause Spinal Injury
FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Traumatic spinal subdural hematoma can occur after vigorous back massage, according to a case study published in the Dec. 1 issue of Spine.
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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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Longer Sugeries May Increase Risk of DVT, PE
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Longer surgery times appear to increase a patient's risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, according to a new study published online Dec. 3 in JAMA Surgery.
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Preoperative Narcotic Use Doesn't Worsen Surgical Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing primary spinal deformity surgery, postoperative outcomes are improved for those taking narcotics preoperatively and for those not taking narcotics, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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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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Medicare Spine Surgery Payments Vary Widely
TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There is wide variation in Medicare payments for episodes of spine surgery across hospitals, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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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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Patient-Tailored Exercises Don't Improve Low Back Pain Outcomes
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patient-matched treatment does not improve outcomes for individuals with chronic, recurrent low back pain (LBP), according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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