Health System

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 4.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 3.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 2.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 1.

The top 5 most-watched video interviews of 2021 on AJMC.com addressed myths about COVID-19 vaccination, eye health, and dermatologic conditions, as well as the use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure.

The top 5 most-read sleep articles of 2021 on AJMC.com covered emerging therapies in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and idiopathic hypersomnia, the effects of antidepressant use on rapid-eye movement sleep, and the sleep-related effects of COVID-19.

David R. Stukus, MD, FACAAI, of Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and a board member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, speaks on the lack of interventions to manage the underlying causes of exacerbation in atopic dermatitis.

Psoriasis severity and treatment outcomes were found to differ across US geographic regions, in which the East South Central and West South Central regions were associated with the greatest frequencies of very severe disease burden and decreased likelihood of achieving targeted response within 6 months of initiating biologic therapy.

A study found significant differences in the therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to atopic dermatitis used by allergists, dermatologists, and pediatricians, and those recommended by guidelines.

Although 2021 closes with a plentiful supply of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, Americans continue to face challenges with the widespread Omicron variant and new testing hurdles.

The United States has authorized Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 treatment for at-home use; study results show that the Omicron variant may have a lower risk of hospitalization; and Chicago and Boston announce proof of vaccination requirements for indoor settings.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

Childhood psoriasis was found to be significantly associated with environmental tobacco smoke exposure, whereas intrauterine smoking exposure was not associated with an increased risk in pediatric populations.

David R. Stukus, MD, FACAAI, of Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and a board member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, speaks on the difficulties of gaining coverage for newer biologic therapies in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

In an interview conducted before the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant began driving another wave of infections, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, FASTMH, discussed the struggle public health officials and scientists have in fighting false beliefs about vaccinations.

The editors of The American Journal of Managed Care® and The American Journal of Accountable Care® reflect on the past year and discuss the themes and topics they expect to see in 2022.

This year's most-viewed content in infectious disease was dominated by COVID-19, as the Delta variant continued to strain the US health care system. It also included news about Clostridioides difficile.

The top 5 most-read ophthalmology articles of 2021 on AJMC.com evaluated the effectiveness of novel therapies in several ophthalmic diseases, racial/ethnic disparities in clinical trial participation, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood nearsightedness.

CDC data shown to overstate US vaccination rates; school-based cognitive behavioral therapy for overwhelmed children; Moderna to develop Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster dose.

Anne Barmettler, MD, an associate professor of ophthalmology, visual sciences, and plastic surgery at Montefiore Medical Center, discusses the cost of teprotumumab for thyroid eye disease.

The top 5 most-read psoriasis articles of 2021 on AJMC.com covered risk factors involved in the pathogenesis and treatment of psoriatic disease and cost considerations for treatment.

Physicians said it is in payers’ interest to use artificial intelligence to address social determinants of health, to cover tests, and to gather data. Doing so could let them stratify who needs certain screenings and diagnostic procedures and who doesn’t, which could lead to less consumption of health care.

Today’s challenge, according to Microsoft's Iksha Herr, MS, is learning how to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to process the waves of health care data and to drive insights that lead to better care delivery.

As the pandemic wore on, fewer patients with sickle cell disease who did contract COVID-19 needed to be hospitalized.

Interest in the use of digital inhalers is growing, as they may provide real-world evidence about how patients monitor and treat their chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma at home, but additional questions need to be answered, according to a recent review.

When a flu season is mild, it can make developing a vaccine for the following season a bit more difficult as it can be hard to find the right match, but on the other hand, the US health system could benefit from less stress this winter given the unrelenting demands posed by COVID-19, says Leslie Kantor, PhD, MPH, chair and professor of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers School of Public Health.

A case series of patients with pustular psoriasis indicated a lack of standardized treatment and continued health care utilization, in which men were at greater risk of an emergency department or hospital encounter.

Daniel Greer, PharmD, BCPP, clinical assistant professor, Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, speaks on how capabilities of cognitive behavioral therapy have evolved to a more user-friendly approach in the management of chronic insomnia.

Robert J. Hopkin, MD, clinical geneticist, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, provides an overview of the evolving treatment landscape in Fabry disease.