Health Care Delivery

Pfizer will submit an emergency use authorization for their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine; WHO panel recommends against remdesivir; CDC urges Americans to stay put during Thanksgiving.

Patients younger than 65 years represent close to 40% of deaths from metastatic breast cancer, yet their use of end-of-life (EOL) care has not been thoroughly investigated until now.

The authors of a Commentary in the November 2020 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care describe the experience of reimagining how a home health program can deliver care amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

At its annual meeting, the American College of Rheumatology previewed updates to guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was associated with a significantly higher rate of maternal and fetal mortality.

While patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are receiving referrals for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), female patients and other groups are less likely to receive them.

A poster on telehealth presented at ID Week in October attempted to identify where care advancement and improvement are needed for individuals living with HIV.

For individuals currently in high-risk glycemic categories, losing 2 to 3 kg (4.5-6.5 lb) in combination with increased physical activity over 2 years nearly halved the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group about her organization’s partnership with the Healthcare Transformation Alliance and how transparency and employer leverage may shape the transition toward value-based health care.

Expansion of insurance coverage due to the Affordable Care Act led to a reduction in the use of emergency services for patients with asthma in New York City.

Supplemental screening for breast cancer, beyond the standard-of-care mammography, may benefit some women who have dense breast tissue.

Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, PhD, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at the University of Manitoba, discusses how comorbidities affect treatment and options for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

A multidisciplinary spine intervention can reduce chronic back pain–related health care utilization and costs, according to a study published in Spine.

Intravenous diuretic treatment of patients with decompensated heart failure can increase urine output, promote weight loss, and improve dyspnea.

During a webinar, experts discussed where health care has improved life expectancy and the relationship between cost and relative contribution that each area makes to life improvement and expectancy.

A recent study of female breast cancer survivors shows that feelings toward body image were consistently worse among those who had a bilateral mastectomy vs breast-conserving surgery.

During oral arguments, the justices asked skeptical questions regarding Republican state efforts to get the Affordable Care Act (ACA) overturned.

The study also found that Black patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more likely to be prescribed glucocorticoids, which come with a risk of serious long-term adverse effects.

Overuse of reliever inhalers among adult patients with asthma is prevalent, but does not necessarily translate into higher all-cause health care utilization (HCU), according to a study published in Scientific Reports.

Using virtual reality led to significant reductions in pain for participants in 12 of the 18 studies.

Having node-positive, estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer indicated a greater likelihood of overall survival following chemotherapy, despite having several comorbidities, after adjustment for confounders.

Combination bronchodilators are available and have been shown to improve both symptoms and lung function, explained Nicola Hanania, MD, MS, of Baylor College of Medicine.

The study sought to determine if 2 specific types of adverse childhood experiences, abuse and neglect, are linked with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

An analysis of state vaccination rates from the previous flu season suggest that certain communities may face significant challenges in achieving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) immunity.

Partnering with pharmacists ensures prescription availability for patients with HIV during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), noted Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, of Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Presenters at CHEST 2020 discussed the concept of how patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) can develop a progressive fibrosis phenotype and how providers can detect and treat these patients.

As novel therapies drive up the cost of cancer care, federal policy decisions are being made that influence oncologists' ability to deliver cancer care, said Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, MPH, of Texas Oncology.

Two CHEST 2020 abstracts looked at mortality risks for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Jill Jarecki, PhD, chief scientific officer at Cure SMA explained the current data and potential for gender to impact the severity spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

The patients must always come first, emphasized Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, who practices at the Northwestern Medicine Infectious Disease Center in Chicago.