Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Orthopedics for January 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.
Deal Could Trade Tort Reform for Additional Health Reform
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians may be willing to make a trade in accepting some additional health reform efforts in exchange for tort reform, according to an article published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
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Limited Microdiscectomy Effective for Disc Herniation
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with lumbar disc herniation, limited discectomy with removal of the fragment is associated with good long-term outcomes, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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Osteoporosis/Osteopenia Prevalent in Chronic Pancreatitis
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Sixty-five percent of patients with chronic pancreatitis have osteoporosis or osteopenia, according to a meta-analysis published in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Model Can Predict Spine Surgery Complications
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new model can predict the risk of medical complications, including major complications, after spine surgery, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Improving Infection Control Could Mean No More White Coats
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care personnel should consider their clinical attire, such as white lab coats, carefully with regards to risk of transmitting infection, according to guidelines published in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
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Report Reveals Payment Methods for Physicians
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians in non-solo practice settings are paid using different methods, with just over half receiving all or most of their compensation from salary, according to a report from the American Medical Association.
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Docs Prefer Tablets Over Smartphones for Reading Articles
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Although physicians generally use smartphones rather than tablets for professional purposes, they are more likely to read articles from medical publications and access medically oriented webcasts/podcasts on tablets, according to the results of a survey conducted by Kantar Media.
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Practices Must Engage Vendors for ICD-10 Updates Now
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Practice owners need to communicate with system vendors to coordinate International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) updates, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Marital History and Support Linked to Bone Health
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Marital history, including disruptions and age at marriage, is associated with bone health in men, while marital support correlates with bone health in women, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in Osteoporosis International.
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Businesses Urge Change to ACA's Insurance Mandate
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Beginning in 2015, U.S. businesses with 50 or more workers must provide health insurance to "full-time" employees, meaning workers who log at least 30 hours a week, on average.
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AAP Updates Evaluation of Child Fractures for Physical Abuse
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A child's age, medical history, presence of other injuries, location and type of fracture, and possible fracture mechanism must be evaluated fully to determine if injuries are caused by abuse, according to a clinical report published online Jan. 27 in Pediatrics.
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Successful Outcomes for Most Failed Rotator Cuff Repairs
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of patients with failed rotator cuff repair have successful outcomes, and the presence of retear negatively affects clinical outcomes, according to two studies published in the Jan. 15 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Insurance Eligibility Headaches Expected With ACA
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- With the influx of newly insured patients under the Affordable Care Act, physician practices should be prepared to spend even more time verifying coverage, according to an article published Jan. 2 in Medical Economics.
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Framework Established to Promote Safety of Care
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A framework has been established to advance clinical learning environments that promote change in the quality and safety of care, according to a perspective piece published online Jan. 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Low BMI Tied to Better Surgical Scoliosis Curve Correction
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), low body mass index (BMI) is associated with greater percent correction of thoracic curves, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.
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Role of Vitamin D in Disease Prevention Is Uncertain
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with vitamin D to prevent disease does not appear to improve health outcomes, according to research published online Jan. 24 in The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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Falls Top Car Crashes as Leading Cause of U.S. Spinal Injuries
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Spinal cord injury rates in the United States are rising, and the leading cause now appears to be falls suffered by seniors rather than traffic crashes, according to a new study published in the Feb. 1 issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma.
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Top Ten Physician Challenges of 2014 Discussed
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The top ten challenges for physicians in 2014 relate to payment for medical services and government mandates, as well as adapting to a changing patient population and the need to improve work-life balance, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Total Knee Arthroplasty Has Economic Benefit for Society
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For a 50-year-old working person, the total economic cost to society for treatment of severe knee osteoarthritis is considerably lower with total knee arthroplasty than with nonoperative treatment, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
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Hormone Therapy Linked to Reduced Arthroplasty Revision
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Hormone replacement therapy use (HRT) is associated with a reduction in revision rates for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA), according to a study published online Jan. 22 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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Online Fitness Tool Users Want Images Similar to Themselves
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Incorporating images that reflect the user may make Internet-based physical activity promotion tools more acceptable to users, including young overweight African-American women, according to a study published Jan. 16 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Writing a Blog Can Up a Doc's Visibility
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Blogs can be a valuable tool to promote physician practices, according to an article published Dec. 17 in Medical Economics.
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Radiation Exposure Compared for Lumbosacral Epidural Approaches
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For fluoroscopy-guided lumbosacral epidural steroid injections (ESIs), the kerma-area product (KAP) of transforaminal ESI is less than that of caudal ESI, after adjustment for length of fluoroscopy time, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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Medical Staff Performance Goals Should Be Clear, Attainable
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Staff performance in medical practices needs to be appropriately managed and measured with performance goals, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Concussion Common Among Young Female Soccer Players
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of cumulative concussion is 13.0 percent per season for female soccer players aged 11 to 14 years, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Legitimacy of Publishing Pharma-Funded Research Queried
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The question of whether to stop publishing research funded by the drug industry is addressed in a head-to-head piece published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.
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Persistent Mucosal Damage Ups Hip Fx Risk in Celiac Disease
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with celiac disease with persistent villous atrophy (VA) are at higher risk of developing hip fractures compared with patients with mucosal healing, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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Hypertension Linked to Post-Cervical Fusion Readmission
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The readmission rate following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is 2.5 percent, and hypertension may increase the likelihood of readmission, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.
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Some Medical Schools Offering Accelerated Training
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Some medical schools are offering an accelerated three-year program, according to a report from Kaiser Health News.
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ACA Impact on Primary Practice May Depend on Location
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The impact of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on physicians' primary care practices will vary geographically, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Researchers Examine FDA Decision Making Processes
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The rationale behind the decision making processes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is discussed in three articles published in the Jan. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Medication Synchronization Program Ups Adherence
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A community pharmacy-based medication synchronization program can improve medication adherence, according to a study conducted by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).
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Wait Time to Lumbar Discectomy Linked to Post-Op Pain
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The likelihood of experiencing worse pain at six months post-surgery is increased with a waiting time of 12 weeks or more for elective surgical lumbar discectomy (ESLD), according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Vitamin D May Help Alleviate Pain in Fibromyalgia
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Oral supplementation with vitamin D reduces pain in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and low vitamin D levels, according to a study published in the February issue of PAIN.
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Survey IDs Factors Influencing Physician Job Satisfaction
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Believing that they are delivering high-quality patient care is key to physician job satisfaction, according to an article published Dec. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Sleep Disordered Breathing Common With Spinal Cord Injury
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have sleep disordered breathing (SDB), according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
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Discrepancies Found in Spine Surgeon Financial Disclosures
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There are considerable discrepancies between spine surgeons disclosures and payments reported by industry, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Doctor Urges Colleagues to Disclose Conflicts of Interest
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A campaign to encourage physicians to disclose potential conflicts of interest has sparked ire from doctors despite evidence that openness improves the doctor-patient relationship, according to a personal view piece published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.
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State Insurance Marketplaces Boost Outreach Efforts
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health insurance exchanges in five states with strong enrollment growth are ramping up efforts to reach even more uninsured Americans before the end of the Affordable Care Act's open enrollment period on March 31. The March 31 deadline is for people who want health coverage for 2014.
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Reliable Emotion Words ID'd to Assess Patient Experience
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A reliable set of emotion words have been identified that can serve as a tool for experience-based design questionnaires in health care, according to a study published in the December issue of Healthcare.
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Two Distinct Etiologies for Distal Forearm Fractures in Childhood
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Childhood distal forearm fractures (DFFs) have two distinct etiologies, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
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Survey Results Identify Drivers of Doctor Engagement
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The results of a survey from the Physician Wellness Services and Cejka Search have identified the key aspects of doctor engagement.
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NCPA: Access to Controlled Substances Often Delayed
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most pharmacists report experiencing multiple delays or issues with their controlled substance orders, according to the results of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Controlled Substances Access Survey.
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FDA Warns Against Rx With High Levels of Acetaminophen
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending that physicians stop prescribing and dispensing prescription combination drug products containing more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per tablet, according to a safety alert issued by the agency.
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Baseline Factors Can Predict Return to Work With Sciatica
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Prognostic factors have been identified to predict return to work (RTW) among patients with sciatica, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Wednesday Is Deadline for Feb. 1 Coverage Under ACA
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There's still time to enroll in a health insurance plan through one of the Affordable Care Act's new online marketplaces. Those who sign up by Wednesday will have coverage starting next month.
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More Than Two Million People Have Signed Up for ACA Coverage
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 2.2 million Americans had selected health plans through the federal and state marketplaces as of late December, and nearly one in four was a young adult, the Obama administration disclosed Monday.
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Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery Rates Vary by Race
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of hospitalization for lumbar spinal stenosis surgery vary significantly by race and ethnic group, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
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Patterns of Shoulder Injuries Vary in High School Sports
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Rates and patterns of shoulder injuries vary by sport and gender in high school athletes, according to research published online Jan. 13 in Pediatrics.
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CMS: New Rule Proposed for Contract Year 2015
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A proposed rule has been issued that will strengthen protections, improve health care quality, and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries with private Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription plans, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
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Survival Improving After Hip and Knee Replacement
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Short-term survival after elective total hip (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) has greatly improved since the early 1990s, even though comorbidities have increased, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Survey: Fees, Reimbursement Top Physician Worries
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The results of a new survey show that physicians are concerned about declining reimbursements and increasing administrative hassles, including negotiating with payers, obtaining prior authorizations, and cutting through government red tape, according to an article published Nov. 25 in Medical Economics.
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EHR Use Linked to Doc-Reported Enhanced Patient Care
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Use of electronic health records is associated with enhanced patient care overall, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in Health Services Research.
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CMS: Low Growth for National Health Expenditures in 2012
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Overall national health expenditures were marked by a fourth consecutive year of low growth, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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Female Conveners Up Number of Women at Scientific Symposia
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Having at least one woman on teams that convene scientific symposia increases the proportion of invited female speakers by 72 percent, compared with teams containing all men, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in mBio.
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ACP Introduces Free 'High Value Care' Case Studies
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In an effort to improve health care and eliminate wasteful practices, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has developed a series of High Value Care cases studies, available online for free.
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Extreme Runners Have Few Chronic Medical Conditions
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Apart from asthma and allergies, ultramarathon runners have few chronic medical conditions and miss little time from school or work due to injuries, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in PLOS ONE.
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Administrative Demands Hurt Patient-Doctor Relationship
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Administrative demands on doctors, particularly primary care physicians, threaten the patient-doctor relationship, according to an article published Dec. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Smoking Rates Still Low for Most Health Care Professionals
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with 2006 to 2007, smoking rates among health care professionals for 2010 to 2011 continue to be lowest in physicians and highest in licensed practical nurses (LPNs), according to a research letter published in the Jan. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on tobacco control.
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Workers' Compensation Data Captures Back Pain Experience
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Workers' compensation data can be used to capture a partial understanding of workers' low back pain (LBP) experiences, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
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AMA Urges Med Students to Be Agents of Health Care Change
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Medical students are being encouraged to be agents of change in the health care system, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Dynamic Stabilization, Fusion Achieve Comparable Outcomes
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Pedicle screw-based dynamic stabilization yields similar functional outcomes to instrumented posterior fusion in elderly patients with degenerative scoliosis, with fewer adverse outcomes, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Cognitive Rest May Speed Concussion Recovery in Youth
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of cognitive activity are associated with longer duration of symptoms in youth with sports-related concussion, according to research published online Jan. 6 in Pediatrics.
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Post-Op Health Care Costs Up for Former, Current Smokers
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care costs in the year following discharge for an inpatient surgical procedure are increased for former and current smokers, compared with never smokers, although there are no differences with smoking status in costs for the index hospitalization, according to a study published online Jan. 1 in JAMA Surgery.
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Non-White Physicians Provide Disproportionate Minority Care
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Non-white physicians provide a disproportionate share of care to underserved populations, according to a research letter published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Romosozumab Increases Bone Mineral Density Post-Menopause
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Romosozumab seems safe and effective for increasing bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density, according to a study published online Jan. 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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AMA Details Top Five Federal Issues for 2014
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the repeal of Medicare's failed sustained growth formula, and the proposed roll-out of the International Classification of Diseases, Version 10, top the list of federal issues expected to impact physicians and patients in 2014, according to a viewpoint piece published online Dec. 30 by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Over 100 New Accountable Care Organizations Formed
FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- One hundred twenty-three new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have been formed by doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, which will provide access to high-quality coordinated care for about 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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New-Onset Sciatica Tied to Age, Obesity, Mental Workload
FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Management of obesity may prevent new-onset sciatica, according to a Japanese study published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
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Impact of Transitions in Doctors' Careers Discussed
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Transitions and their associated challenges are encountered throughout a doctors' medical career, according to an editorial published online Nov. 26 in BMJ.
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CDC: Updated Guidance for HBV Vaccination for Health Workers
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care personnel should be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) if they anticipate exposure to blood or body fluids, and receive serologic testing to assess for antibody against the virus, according to updated guidelines published in the Dec. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Worsening of Shortage of Residency Slots Feared
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Despite a looming physician shortage, the number of residency positions in the United States has not changed since 1996, creating a bottleneck that will become worse with further budget cuts, according to a blog post published Dec. 7 on KevinMD.com.
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Docs Have Until Jan. 31 to Change Medicare Status
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The deadline for making changes to Medicare participation status has been extended to Jan. 31, 2014, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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