Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for August 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.
Report Highlights Progress, Challenges in Health IT
FRIDAY, Aug. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Progress has been made toward widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), although there are still barriers to adoption of advanced use of EHRs, according to a report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Doctors Frequently Experience Ethical Dilemmas
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For physicians trying to balance various financial and time pressures, ethical dilemmas are common, according to an article published Aug. 7 in Medical Economics.
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AMGA: Physician Turnover Still High in 2013
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For the second year running, physician turnover remains at the highest rate since 2005, according to a report published by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA).
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Cancer Patients With Depression Often Untreated
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with cancer and depression frequently do not receive effective treatment; however, an integrated program is effective in patients with cancer, and specifically lung cancer, according to three studies published online Aug. 28 in The Lancet Psychiatry, The Lancet, and The Lancet Oncology.
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CPAP Treats Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Seniors
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective treatment for daytime sleepiness in seniors with sleep apnea, according to a new study published online Aug. 27 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Transmission Rate for MERS Studied in Household Contacts
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of transmission of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from patients to household contacts is about 5 percent, according to research published in the Aug. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Team Approach Improves Practice Efficiency
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The increasing administrative requirements of a medical practice are requiring a team-based approach to care, and physicians must learn to manage the team, according to an article published Aug. 7 in Medical Economics.
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Ban Indoor Use of E-Cigarettes, U.N. Health Agency Says
TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Joining a number of other health agencies, the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday recommended that countries regulate electronic cigarettes and ban their use indoors until studies prove that "vaping" is harmless to bystanders.
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Confusional Arousal Common, Linked to Other Disorders
TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Confusional arousals (CAs) are common in the general population and they may be associated with other factors, such as medication consumption, sleep disorders, and mental disorders, according to research published in the Aug. 26 issue of Neurology.
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Restrictive, Non-Solicitation Covenants Are Valid
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Restrictive and non-solicitation covenants are valid and can be enforced, according to an article published Aug. 5 in Medical Economics.
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More Galanin-Immunoreactive Neurons Linked to Better Sleep
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For older adults, more galanin-immunoreactive intermediate nucleus neurons are associated with less fragmented sleep, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in Brain.
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Guidelines Presented for Electronic Cigarette Use
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Recommendations have been developed regarding electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and published online Aug. 24 as an American Heart Association (AHA) policy statement in Circulation.
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EPA: Air in U.S. Cities Getting Cleaner
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The air in American cities is getting safer to breathe, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported Thursday.
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U.S. to Tighten Access to Certain Narcotic Painkillers
FRIDAY, Aug. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is going ahead with tough new controls on painkillers containing hydrocodone, which has been tied to a surge in dangerous addictions across the United States.
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Organizations Can Help Docs Retain Their Independence
FRIDAY, Aug. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Ways for physicians to remain in independent practice are highlighted in an article published Aug. 7 in Medical Economics.
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Futile Care Linked to Delays in Care for Other Patients
FRIDAY, Aug. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Futile care, which is used to prolong life without achieving a meaningful benefit for the patient, can cause delays in care for other patients waiting to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), according to a study published in the September issue of Critical Care Medicine.
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Reduced Nicotine Cigarettes Don't Up Smoking Intensity
FRIDAY, Aug. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Reduced nicotine cigarettes are not associated with increased smoking intensity versus usual brand cigarettes, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Asthma Outcomes Worse in Older Women
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Older women face increased challenges in managing their asthma, according to a review published in the August issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
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FDA Approves Cerdelga for Type 1 Gaucher Disease
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Cerdelga (eliglustat) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat type 1 Gaucher disease, a rare inherited disorder caused by the body's insufficient production of a key enzyme.
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Pre-, Postnatal Smoke Exposure Affects Later Allergic Disease
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in utero or during infancy impacts the development of allergic disease up to adolescence, according to a study published online Aug. 18 in Pediatrics.
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RSV Inhibitor Reduces Viral Load in Challenge Study
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For healthy adults challenged with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an oral RSV-entry inhibitor, GS-5806, is associated with reduced viral load, according to a study published in the Aug. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Organized Processes Help Practices Hire Well
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A defined process is necessary to help physicians hire the right staff for their practice, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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Hospitalization Less Likely With Artificially Altered Oximetry
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Among infants presenting to an emergency department with mild to moderate bronchiolitis, hospitalization is less likely for those with an artificially elevated pulse oximetry reading, according to a study published in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Postdischarge Intervention Can Help Smokers Quit
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A postdischarge intervention including free medication results in higher rates of smoking cessation at six months, compared with standard discharge care among hospitalized adult smokers, according to a study published in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Docs Must Consider Liability When Ordering Screening Tests
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians and health care providers must be aware of their potential liability when ordering screening tests, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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Boxed Warnings Are Common in Novel Therapeutics
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Boxed warnings are common on recent drug approvals, and many occur years after approval, according to a research letter published online Aug. 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Sleep Apnea Tied to Increased Odds of Resistant Elevated BP
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There is a strong association between severe untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and resistant elevated blood pressure (BP), despite treatment with an aggressive antihypertensive medication regimen, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
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U.S. Children With Cystic Fibrosis Are Living Longer
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, children born in 2010 with cystic fibrosis (CF) are projected to live longer than those born earlier, according to a study published in the Aug. 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Review: Previous Respiratory Conditions Tied to Lung CA Risk
FRIDAY, Aug. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Several common respiratory diseases are tied to an increased risk of lung cancer, according to a study published online July 23 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Prevnar-13 Should Be Routine for Seniors
THURSDAY, Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A second vaccine to protect seniors against pneumonia has been recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
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Extra Time Spent Counseling, Coordinating Care Billable
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Extra time spent counseling patients and coordinating care can be billed using evaluation and management (E/M) and prolonged service codes, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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FDA Approves Donor-Lung Preservation Device
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The XVIVO Perfusion System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help preserve donor lungs that ultimately may be used for transplant, the agency said Tuesday in a news release.
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Meta-Analysis Strategy Impacts Estimation of Tx Outcome
TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Estimation of treatment outcome varies with the meta-analysis strategy, according to a study published in the Aug. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Review: Rifamycin Regimens OK As Alternative for Latent TB
TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Short-term rifamycin-containing regimens may be an effective alternative treatment for preventing active tuberculosis, according to research published online Aug. 12 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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EHR Adoption Increasing, But Stage 2 Criteria Often Not Met
MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most U.S. hospitals and office-based physicians have adopted electronic health records (EHR), according to two studies published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
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Previously Unrecognized Trends in Lung Cancer Identified
MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An updated and expanded analysis has revealed some new observations about patterns in lung cancer incidence in the United States, according to research published online Aug. 11 in Cancer.
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Neighborhood's Socioeconomic Status Tied to Readmissions
MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to six-month, all-cause readmission among patients with heart failure, even after adjustment for patient-level factors, according to a study published online July 29 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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Issues to Consider With Integration of Telemedicine
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Integrating telemedicine raises various considerations, including operational and legal issues, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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VA Health Care Reform Bill Signed Into Law
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A bill signed into law Thursday by President Barack Obama is meant to provide veterans with easier access to government-paid health care.
Health Highlights: Aug. 7, 2014
Influenza-Like Illness Carries High Pediatric Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More than one in three children presenting to the emergency department with influenza-like illness develop severe complications, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Pediatrics.
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ACP Releases Diagnostic Guide for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
TUESDAY, Aug. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released a new evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults. The guideline was published in the Aug. 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Many Physicians Have Secondary Income
MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians report earning income from sources other than their primary practice/employer, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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CMS Recognizes Telehealth in New Physician Fee Schedule
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued proposed rules for updates to the Physician Fee Schedule and will accept comments until Sept. 2, according to an article published July 7 in Medical Economics.
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Each Chronic Condition Further Reduces Life Expectancy
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Each additional chronic condition among older people diminishes life expectancy, according to a study published in the August issue of Medical Care.
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