Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Radiology for July 2013. 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.
Surgery Not Needed With All Abnormal Breast Lesions
WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Women with atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) biopsy findings can be safely observed when careful radiologic-pathologic correlation for concordance is established, according to research published online July 30 in Radiology.
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Health 'Mutual Accountability' Pilot Program Launching
WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- The State of Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services has chosen MedEncentive to conduct a three-year heath improvement program pilot among HealthChoice beneficiaries.
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Addition of Tomosynthesis to Mammography Cuts Recall Rate
TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- For patients presenting for screening mammography, the addition of tomosynthesis is associated with reduced recall rates for all breast densities and patient ages, according to a study published online July 30 in Radiology.
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Reversal of Medical Practices Common Over Past Decade
TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Over 100 contemporary medical practices have subsequently been reversed over the last 10 years, according to a review published online July 22 in Mayo Clinical Proceedings.
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Back Pain Management Relying on Guideline Discordant Care
TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Management of back pain is increasingly relying on guideline discordant care, including narcotic use, advanced imaging, and referrals to physicians, according to research published online July 29 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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USPSTF: Low-Dose CT Screening Benefits Smokers
MONDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) finds that low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening is associated with reductions in lung cancer and all-cause mortality for high-risk smokers. This Recommendation Statement is based on an evidence review published online July 30 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Draft Recommendation Statement
Comment on Recommendations
Background Review
Review Defines New Fracture Risk Factors Post-Vertebroplasty
THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with low bone mineral density (BMD), low body mass index (BMI), and intradiscal cement leakage are at risk for new osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) after vertebroplasty, according to a review published in the June issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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IOM Confirms Geographic Variation in Health Spending
THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Considerable geographic variation exists in health care spending and utilization, but a geographically-based value index is unlikely to promote value improvement, according to a report published July 24 by the Institute of Medicine.
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Screening Mammogram Recall Rates Vary by Practice Site
THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Patient population factors likely contribute to higher mammogram recall rates at an academic hospital site versus a community office practice employing the same radiologists, according to a study published in online July 24 in Radiology.
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Docs Need to Follow Patients' Lead, Embrace Social Media
WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- As more patients discuss and manage their health care online, doctors need to keep up and use social media, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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U.S. Physicians Not Supportive of Changes in Payment Models
TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. physicians accept some responsibility for reducing health care costs in their practice, but most do not want to change payment models, according to research published in the July 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Pros and Cons of Electronic Cigarette Regulation Discussed
TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- The pros and cons of electronic cigarette (EC) regulation are discussed in to two editorials published online July 23 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Use of Radiographs Increasing for Children With Asthma
MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency department use of radiographs is increasing for children with asthma; and there is considerable variation between hospitals in the use of diagnostic testing for children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), according to two studies published online July 22 in Pediatrics.
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Tablets Help Physicians Keep Up With Medical Research
MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Most physicians find keeping up with the latest research to be challenging, but the use of tablets and smartphones may help, according to a report published by Wolters Kluwer Health.
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Premiums Expected to Be About 20 Percent Lower in 2014
MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Premiums in the Health Insurance Marketplace are likely to be about 20 percent lower than anticipated in 2014, according to a report published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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Quality-of-Life Tools Underused by Prostate Cancer Docs
FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of radiation oncologists and urologists in the United States use prostate cancer nomograms, but only about one-quarter use quality-of-life and life-expectancy prediction instruments, according to a study published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Top Challenges for Docs Include Financial Management
FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The top issues and challenges facing physicians include managing changing reimbursement models with payors and financial management, according to a report published by Wolters Kluwer Health.
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Missed Diagnoses, Med Errors Most Common Malpractice Claims
FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The most common medical misadventures resulting in malpractice claims in primary care are missed or delayed diagnoses and medication errors, according to a review published online July 18 in BMJ Open.
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CT Screens Prevent Few Deaths in Those at Low Risk of Lung Cancer
WEDNESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- The relatively greatest number of deaths from lung cancer is prevented when screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT) is targeted to those at highest risk, according to research published in the July 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Radium-223 Prolongs Survival in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
WEDNESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Radium-223 dichloride (radium-223), an alpha emitter with bone-seeking properties, is superior to placebo when used in combination with best standard of care in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer and bone metastases, according to a study published in the July 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Financial Incentives Can Drive Health IT Adoption
WEDNESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Financial incentives can drive providers' adoption of health information technology, including e-prescribing, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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Redesign of Medical Education Needed for Chronic Disease Era
TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Medical education programs should be redesigned to address the current complex chronic disease era, with emphasis on appropriate basic sciences and clinical skills, according to a special communication published online July 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Could Benefit Docs
TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the 2014 proposed Medicare physician fee schedule, which could help create a more equitable payment system by adjusting misvalued codes and proposing new complex management codes, according to a report published by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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Improvements Made to CMS Online Directory of Physicians
TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has reworked and redesigned their online directory of physicians (Physicians Compare) after errors were discovered throughout the site.
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EHRs May Slow Growth in Ambulatory Health Care Costs
MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) modestly slows growth in ambulatory health care costs, according to research published in the July 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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More Job Opportunities Available for Physicians
MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of physicians are receiving up to three employment solicitations per week, according to a report published by American Medical Association (AMA).
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CMS Proposes New Rule for Outpatient Payment Policies
MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- A new rule proposes updating Medicare payment policies and rates for the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services, according to a report issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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Physicians Frustrated by Third-Party Interference
FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Third-party interference is the most commonly cited key frustration for physicians, according to the results of a survey published in Physicians Practice.
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AMA Offers Guidance for Improving EHR Effectiveness
FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has voted for policies to help physicians navigate patient interaction while using electronic devices and to improve the interoperability of electronic health records (EHRs).
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Grants of $150 Million for Community Health Centers
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Grants totaling $150 million are to be shared by 1,100 community health centers to help enroll patients in insurance programs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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Health Searches May Be Leaked to Third Parties
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Free health-related websites often have third-party tracking elements and leak search terms to third-party tracking entities, unlike U.S. government or physician-oriented websites, according to a research letter published online July 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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U.S. Adults Value Health Care Provider Skill Evaluation
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Most adults feel that health care providers who treat them should adhere to a recertification program, including passing examinations, attending educational programs, and undergoing certification, regardless of time in practice, according to a report published by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) and the Citizen Advocacy Center.
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Docs Don't Often Talk to Patients About Dietary Supplements
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Although primary care physicians are discussing dietary supplements with patients during outpatient visits, these exchanges happen infrequently, according to research published in the June issue of Patient Education and Counseling.
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One in Five U.S. Adults Will Have Trouble Paying Medical Bills
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- About one in five U.S. adults will have problems paying health care bills in 2013, including about 10 million adults with year-round insurance coverage, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Quality Metrics Play Small Role in Physician Compensation
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Quality measures play a small but emerging role in physician compensation, according to a report published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
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In 2010, Blood Transfusion Most Frequent Hospital Procedure
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- The most frequent procedure performed during hospitalization in 2010 was blood transfusion, which was common among all age groups except for infants, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
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Red Cross Issues Emergency Call for Blood Donors
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- The American Red Cross has issued an emergency request for blood and platelet donors of all blood types, according to report posted July 9.
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Tablets More Useful Than Smartphones for Docs Using EHRs
WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Although tablets are less often used by physicians than smartphones, they are more frequently used for accessing electronic health records (EHRs), and time spent on tablets is much higher, according to two reports published by AmericanEHR Partners.
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Health Insurance Marketplaces Not Required to Verify Claims
WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Health insurance marketplaces will not be required to verify consumers' income and health insurance status and can rely on self-reported information, the Obama administration announced Friday.
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Existing Medicaid Patients May Miss Out on Preventive Care
WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Existing Medicaid enrollees may not receive preventive care measures the Affordable Care Act mandates for those covered under new insurance requirements, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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Digital Divide Plagues Underserved Areas
TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Electronic health record (EHR) adoption is uneven, with traditionally underserved areas having lower adoption rates across the United States, according to a study published online June 26 in Health Services Research.
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Adoption of Electronic Health Records Is Progressing
TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- In 2012, 44 percent of hospitals reported having at least a basic electronic health record (EHR), according to an annual report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Awareness of Risks Reduces Parents' Desire for CT Scans
MONDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Willingness to subject children with a head injury to computed tomography (CT) scans decreases once parents are informed of lifetime malignancy risks associated with the scans, but most are still willing to proceed with head CT, according to a study published online July 8 in Pediatrics.
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Practices Are Not Ready for Implementation of ICD-10
MONDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Most practices are not ready for implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), according to a report published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
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Effective Dose of Radiation From Airport Scanners Is Low
THURSDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- The average effective dose of radiation from a single-pose, two-sided scan with an X-ray backscatter system used for screening airport passengers is about 11.1 nSv, according to a report published by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
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More Than 40 Percent of Docs Report Work Dissatisfaction
WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians are dissatisfied and are unlikely to recommend the medical profession to young people, according to a report published by Jackson Healthcare.
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CT Pulmonary Angiography Linked to Overdiagnosis of PE
WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- The increased use of computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography is associated with increased incidence of pulmonary embolism among U.S. adults, but with minimal decrease in mortality from pulmonary embolism, according to an analysis published online July 2 in BMJ.
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Obama Administration: ACA's Employer Mandate Delayed
WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- The Obama Administration is postponing a major Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision, the employer mandate, according to an announcement made Tuesday via the U.S. Department of the Treasury website.
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Docs Impact Comparative Effectiveness Research Opinion
TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors' support of comparative effectiveness research (CER) influences public opinion and has a greater impact on public opinion than cues from political players, according to research to be published this fall in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.
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