Interviews

The DRCR Retina Network is undertaking research to develop preventive strategies for diabetic eye disease, explained Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH, associate professor of ophthalmology and chief of the Center for Clinical Eye Research and Trials, Harvard Medical School; and chair, DRCR Retina Network.

It is likely that social determinants of health (SDOH) may affect the differences in outcomes from multiple sclerosis (MS) that we see among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx populations, absent more data on their genetics and ancestry, noted Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, FAAN.

Challenges around data are mostly around data itself, particularly if it is not timely, says Lee A. Norman, MD, MHS, MBA, the senior medical director for Optum Care Kansas City.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Bruce W. Sherman, MD, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, about a recent study on wage-level disparities affecting the utilization of mental health resources, for which he was lead investigator; the study article appears in the April issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®.

Rebates remain very attractive for many employers, but they should push back on the reliance on rebates that may be preventing biosimilars from being added to formularies, said Margaret Rehayem, vice president, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

Milena Pavlova, MD, neurologist, and medical director of the sleep testing center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner hospital, talks about the importance of treating underlying sleep disorders in patients with seizures, especially within a value-based care (VBC) model.

Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, professor of dermatology and director of clinical research and patch testing at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and chair of the Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) conference, discusses some of the symposia and events at this year's conference that he is looking forward to the most.

David Spencer, MD, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University, talks about how an emerging epilepsy treatment could transform the current level of care for patients with the condition.

Much more work needs to be done surrounding multiple sclerosis (MS) and treating pregnant patients safely, noted Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, FAAN, medical director and CEO, Joi Life Wellness Neurology Clinic.

Milena Pavlova, MD, neurologist and medical director of the sleep testing center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, discusses the profound effect obstructive sleep apnea has on epilepsy as well as cognition.

At Asembia 2023, there will be a call to action for participants to adjust their current business models and advocate for access to biosimilars with lower list costs, explained Julie Reed, executive director of the Biosimilars Forum.

Shruti Agnihotri, MD, associate professor at the University of Alabama Birmingham, discusses how value-based care can help patients who experience neurologic chronic disease states after COVID-19, in addition to patients with conditions like stroke and dementia.

Nicole Rosendale, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California San Francisco, neurologist/neurohospitalist, talks about how data on the LGBTQ+ community in the neurology space is needed in order to provide effective value-based health care.

Jacque Sokolov, MD, president and chairman at SSB Solutions, previews his keynote presentation and discusses the unique, shifting health care atmosphere leading into the National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP) Spring Managed Care Forum 2023.

By better understanding the nature of atopic dermatitis and its varying comorbidities, providers might be able to better predict patient outcomes, said Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, assistant professor of dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Nicholas Bagley, JD, of Michigan Law, University of Michigan, explained what the Braidwood v Becerra court case was about and how the ruling affected preventive care across the country.

Jessica Robinson-Papp, MD, MS, professor of neurology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses how neurologic symptoms in individuals with HIV can present in various places in the body while also possibly pointing to a neurologic condition.

Nicole Rosendale, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California San Francisco, neurologist/neurohospitalist, discusses how many unknowns prevail in data concerning neurologic care for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Using evidence and being open-minded are 2 strategies for providers shifting to new models of delivering care, says Lee A. Norman, MD, MHS, MBA, senior medical director for Optum Care Kansas City.

Gene therapy has the promise of being one and done, but it isn’t always that way for all patients, which leaves questions about where these therapies fit in the commercial landscape, said Charles C. Wykoff, MD, PhD, of Retina Consultants of Texas and the Blanton Eye Institute at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Judy Alberto, MHA, RPh, BCOP, director of clinical initiatives at the Community Oncology Alliance, discusses the importance of making sure oncology practices are educated about their value-based enterprise exception when mailing patients their cancer medications.

While employers fall on a spectrum when it comes to knowledge and understanding of biosimilars, there does remain a need to educate them, as well as for them to educate their employees, said Margaret Rehayem, vice president, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

For all the success the hematology/oncology space has seen over the past 20-plus years, difficult discussions now focus on paying for that care, explained David A. Eagle, MD, New York Cancer & Blood Specialists.

Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, executive vice president at Texas Oncology, explains the small potential risk of breast cancer associated with hormonal birth control.

Natalia Rost, MD, MPH, FAAN, FAHA, chief of the stroke division at Massachusetts General Hospital and chair of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Science Committee, previews the annual meeting and provides a glimpse into what the conference has to offer and its legacy of 75 years.

David Spencer, MD, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University, previews the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting for 2023 and says that attendees can expect not only to learn but also to leave feeling humbled and inspired.

Lack of knowledge about how skin conditions present on lightly pigmented skin has resulted in diagnostic delays, underassessment, and an impact on quality of life for patients with skin of color.

Shiela Plasencia, director of practice support at the Community Oncology Alliance, discusses the benefits of collecting social determinants of health data for both the patient and provider.

Jessica Allegretti, MD, MPH, medical director of the Crohn's and Colitis Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, reviews emerging therapeutics being investigated for the prevention and treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) that occurs in preterm babies can progress fast, which requires quick decisions early about treatment, explained Darius M. Moshfeghi, MD, chief, Retina Division, and professor at the Horngren Family Vitreoretinal Center, Byers Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine.