Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Urology 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.
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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Aids Help Decision Making for Prostate Cancer Screening
TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- A print and web-based decision aid helps men with their decision making about prostate cancer screening, but does not affect screening rates, according to a study published online July 29 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation Has Lasting Benefit
THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation with the Urgent PC Neuromodulation System offers sustained overactive bladder symptom improvement after three years of therapy, according to a study published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Efforts to Decrease Prostate CA Imaging Effective in Sweden
THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Among Swedish men diagnosed with prostate cancer, imaging use has decreased over a 10-year period, particularly among low-risk patients, according to a study published online July 13 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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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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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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Kidney Stones Tied to Coronary Heart Disease in Women
TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Among women, a history of kidney stones is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), according to a study published in the July 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Maternal Health Behaviors Affect Teen Boys' HPV4 Uptake
TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal utilization of preventive care and a history of genital warts may influence utilization of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) among adolescent boys, according to a study published online July 18 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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Guidance Issued for Erectile Dysfunction As Marker of CVD
TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Erectile dysfunction (ED) has predictive value for cardiovascular risk and treatment may have beneficial effects, according to research published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
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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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Lifestyle Factors Linked to Less Aggressive Prostate Cancer
FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Adherence to lifestyle recommendations intended to reduce the risk of cancer generally is associated with a lower risk of highly aggressive prostate cancer in men newly diagnosed with the disease, according to a study published online July 16 in Nutrition and Cancer.
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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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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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Self-Referrals for Anatomic Pathology Services Very Costly
FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Health care providers who self-refer for anatomic pathology services cost Medicare about $69 million in 2010, according to a report published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
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Mutation ID'd in Some With Kidney, Urinary Tract Disorders
WEDNESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Independent mutations have been identified in the dual serine-threonine and tyrosine protein kinase gene (DSTYK) in 2.3 percent of patients with congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract, according to a study published online July 17 in 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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Prostate Cancer Treatment Linked to Kidney Injury
TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Among men with non-metastatic prostate cancer, treatment with androgen deprivation therapy is associated with an increased risk of developing acute kidney injury, according to a study published in the July 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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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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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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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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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked to Risk of Prostate Cancer
FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- High blood concentrations of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer, according to research published online July 10 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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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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Phone Call OK Instead of Visit for Routine Post-Op Follow-Up
FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- A telephone visit can be safely substituted for the standard clinic visit as postoperative follow-up for certain types of ambulatory surgery, and most patients report a high degree of satisfaction, according to research published online on July 10 in JAMA Surgery.
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Men Still Want PSA Testing Despite Guidance, Risks
FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- The October 2011 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation advising against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing may be met with resistance by men, according to a study published online July 9 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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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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Low-Income Patients Prefer Hospital to Outpatient Care
THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Patients in low socioeconomic groups who live in urban settings report that they prefer hospital care to ambulatory care because it is less expensive, more accessible, and superior in quality, according to research published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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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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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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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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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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Soy Supplement Doesn't Cut Prostate Cancer Recurrence
TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- For men at high risk of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy, daily consumption of a soy protein supplement is not associated with a reduction in the risk of recurrence, according to a study published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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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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Rural Program Affects Choice of Surgical Practice
TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Surgical residents who complete a rural surgery rotation are much more likely to enter general surgery practice and practice in a rural area, even if they had initially planned to specialize, according to research published online July 3 in JAMA Surgery.
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Most Men Report No Shared Decision Making in PSA Screening
MONDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly two-thirds of men report an absence of shared decision making related to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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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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Three-Gene mRNA Signature IDs Acute Cellular Rejection
WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- A signature composed of messenger RNA (mRNA) from three genes in urinary cells can identify kidney biopsy samples showing acute cellular rejection, according to a study published in the July 4 issue of the New England Journal of 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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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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