Christina is the associate editorial director of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The American Journal of Accountable Care® (AJAC), and joined AJMC in 2016. She oversees the publication of the print journals, from manuscript submission to publication, and works with the editors in chief and editorial boards to promote the journals.
She has a BS in public health from Rutgers University. You can connect with Christina on LinkedIn.
Psychiatric Cost Sharing Linked to Lower Mental Health Care Use, but Large Downstream Costs
July 31st 2017According to a recent study, implementing cost sharing requirements on mental health services produced short-term savings by reducing mental health care use, but resulted in more costly outcomes like involuntary commitment and acute mental health treatment.
5 Ideas That Could Be Part of a Bipartisan ACA Repair Plan
July 28th 2017With Republicans unable to agree on legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the next step may be to work out some bipartisan fixes with Democrats. Here are 5 ideas that could appear in a bipartisan deal to fix the ACA.
Infographic: A Brief History of ACA Repeal and Replace Efforts
July 27th 2017When Donald Trump was elected president in November 2016, repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) suddenly became an attainable goal for Republicans in Congress. Here, we look back at the legislative twists and turns of ACA repeal efforts in 2017.
MYSTIC Trial Yields Disappointing Results for AstraZeneca's Durvalumab Combination in NSCLC
July 27th 2017AstraZeneca announced that its immuno-oncology drug durvalumab, in combination with tremelimumab, failed to meet a progression-free survival endpoint in the MYSTIC trial in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
GAO Calls for Making EHRs More User Friendly to Boost Utilization
July 26th 2017In a blog post that served as a follow-up to a March report on electronic access to medical information, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) analyzed the reasons people may not use their electronic health records (EHRs) even if they are able to access them.
Mechanism for Checkpoint Inhibitor Resistance Identified in Invasive Bladder Cancer
July 25th 2017Researchers have identified a cellular signaling pathway that when activated by mutations may prevent immune cells from infiltrating bladder tumors, thus making the cancer resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Physicians Report Numerous Barriers to Deprescribing Patients' Medications
July 24th 2017Deprescribing ongoing medications has been identified as a way to prevent adverse drug events and avoid unnecessary medication utilization, but a recent study found that physicians report a number of obstacles making it difficult for them to deprescribe in their practice.
Examining How Online Patient-Reported Outcomes Make a Difference in Cancer Care
July 21st 2017In a webinar hosted by Carevive, researcher Ethan Basch, MD, MSc, discussed the findings of his recent study linking electronic patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to better survival outcomes for patients with cancer.
Researchers Use STING Agonists to Reverse Resistance to Rituximab in Lymphoma Patients
July 17th 2017According to a recent study, adding a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist to rituximab for lymphoma can help provoke an immune response to the monoclonal antibody in patients who had shown resistance.
Report Requested by FDA Outlines "State of the Science" on Chronic Pain and Opioid Abuse
July 13th 2017In response to a request from the FDA, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has issued a report outlining the current body of research on chronic pain and opioid use disorder, including recommendations on what steps the regulatory agency can take in response to the ongoing epidemic.
With Bipartisan Support, FDA User Fee Reauthorization Passes the House
July 12th 2017The House of Representatives passed the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 with a voice vote, indicating the strong levels of bipartisan support for the bill that will reauthorize the user fee programs that fund the FDA.
FDA Grants Full Approval, Expands Indications for Blinatumomab in ALL
July 12th 2017Blinatumomab is now fully approved as a treatment for relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), following FDA assessment of new trial data on survival outcomes and its use in certain clinical subgroups.
Rural America's High Cancer Mortality Rates Point to Growing Disparities
July 10th 2017A recent analysis of cancer incidence and mortality rates across America finds that while those in rural counties are less likely to get cancer, cancer-related mortality rates are higher than in more populous areas, and this disparity is increasing over time.
GAO Report Finds Lower Quality Hospitals Still Received Value-Based Bonuses
July 10th 2017The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that CMS should take steps to prevent lower quality hospitals from qualifying for value-based bonuses, after a report by the office found that some bonuses in recent years had rewarded poorly-rated hospitals.
RAS Panel for Detecting Genetic CRC Mutations Approved by FDA
July 8th 2017The FDA has approved the Praxis Extended RAS Panel for genetic testing in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Detecting certain tumor mutations using the test could have important implications for treatment decisions.
Liraglutide Used to Mitigate Diabetes Risk in Patients With Schizophrenia
July 7th 2017Patients with schizophrenia are at high risk of developing diabetes, particularly due to the effects of antipsychotic medications, but the results of a recently published trial indicate liraglutide can help improve glucose tolerance and body weight in prediabetic patients.