July 2013 Briefing - Rheumatology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology 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.

Rituximab Equally Effective for Remission of Vasculitis

WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Rituximab is as effective as conventional immunosuppressive therapy in maintaining remission in patients with severe antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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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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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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Arthritis Physical Activity Plans Must Consider Work, Life

FRIDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Physical activity (PA) interventions for working adults with arthritis may be improved by taking into account the demands of an individual's multiple roles, including the complex relationship between work, health, and other life responsibilities, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

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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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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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Self-Help Program Ups Mental Health in Rheumatic Disease

WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- A cognitive-behavioral, self-help intervention can improve depression and anxiety in patients with rheumatic conditions, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

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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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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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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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Photoprotection-Deficient Patients With CLE Identified

THURSDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Several subgroups of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) are deficient in their use of photoprotection, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

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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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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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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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Improvement Needed in Drug Post-Marketing Studies

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Since the requirement in 2007 that drug makers conduct post-marketing studies, the number of studies not yet started has declined while the number of studies fulfilling obligations has nearly doubled, according to a report published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, more than 40 percent of studies had not yet been started in 2011, and the number of studies with delays doubled as of 2011.

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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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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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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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GI Involvement Linked to Relapse of Vasculitis in Kids

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- In the largest single-center study of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) in childhood, fever, myalgia, and skin involvement were found to be the most common symptoms, and cumulative dose of cyclophosphamide was associated with lower risk of relapse, while gastrointestinal (GI) involvement was linked to increased relapse risk. The study has been published online June 10 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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Kidney Disease Significantly Reduces Life Expectancy in SLE

MONDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), compromised kidneys significantly reduce survival and life expectancy, according to a study published online June 10 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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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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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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Short-Term UV Radiation Linked to Odds of Juvenile Myositis

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Short-term ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure may contribute to the development of juvenile myositis, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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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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Work Loss Not Tied to Drug Choice in Rheumatoid Arthritis

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Therapy including a biological agent is not superior to conventional therapy in reducing work loss in patients with early-stage rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who fail to respond to methotrexate, according to research published online July 1 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Kidney Involvement, High Anti-dsDNA Predict Lupus Flares

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Kidney involvement and high anti-double stranded (ds) DNA are independent predictors of moderate-severe lupus flare, according to research published online June 10 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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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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Etanercept Reduces Work, Activity Impairment in RA

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), continued etanercept treatment is associated with reduced work and activity impairment, according to a study published online April 1 in Arthritis Care & Research.

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