Problems with prior authorization, utilizing health insurance coverage are prevalent, survey finds
Editor's Note This KFF survey from June 2023 found that some six in 10 adults with health insurance have experienced problems when trying to use their insurance, KFF Health News September 29 reports. The problems included denied claims, network adequacy issues, and preauthorization delays and denials.ย According to the survey,…
Surgical scorecards help minimize costs without impacting outcomes
Editor's Note This review published by the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that surgical scorecards, or cards that summarize information regarding the cost of surgical items and procedures along with comparisons to similar operations, have been shown to significantly reduce costs without impacting clinical outcomes when presented…
Study: Routine ER screening catches undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, prediabetes
Editor's Note Early symptoms of type 2 diabetes often go undetected, and late detection can lead to long-term complications, including heart disease, nerve damage, and retinopathy. Screening for type 2 diabetes in the emergency department could reveal thousands of previously undiagnosed cases each year, EurekAlert! October 3 reports.ย These findings…
RSV vaccine with added boost proves effective against new variants
Editor's Note A new vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been found to be effective against a range of variants, according to an August 2023 Science Translational Medicine research article titled, "The RSVPreF3-AS01 vaccine elicits broad neutralization of contemporary and antigenically distant respiratory syncytial virus strains." This research was…
Positive margin trends for hospitals in new National Hospital Flash report
Editor's Note The September 2023 National Hospital Flash Report, published by Kaufman Hall on October 2, analyzed data from August 2023 and revealed that while margins are still below historic levels, hospital performance has continued to steadily improve. According to the report: "While hospital operating margins remain below historical levels,…
The Joint Commission reveals sentinel events remain high in 2023
Editor's Note Data from The Joint Commission on sentinel eventsโevents that result in patient death or serious harmโfor the first half of 2023 are out and look to be on par with last yearโs all-time high numbers, Becker's Clinical Leadership October 2 reports. Data from 2022 showed events rising to…
National health observances in October: Health literacy, breast cancer, mental health
Editor's Note October is a month of awareness for several causes, according to the US Department of Human Services (HHS) and the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC). Each month, the HHS highlights "National Health Observances" (NHOs), and October, it is raising awareness for health literacy, breast cancer, the…
Cancer patient provides valuable insights after major pelvic surgery
Editor's Note A 58-year-old cancer patient in the UK who had all the organs in her pelvis removed in a necessary life-saving procedure is now participating in an ongoing research project aimed at improving similar cancer treatments and outcomes, BBC News September 20 reports. The patient had cancer affecting her…
Study reveals significant benefits of antiviral COVID-19 drugs
Editor's Note This new study from the Cleveland Clinic found that use of COVID-19 antiviral drugs Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir) reduces risk of hospitalization and death in high-risk patients with mild disease, even against Omicron subvariants. The findings were published in JAMA Network on September 21. The study included…
ACS, SVS release new standards for patient care in outpatient vascular centers
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) have come together to release new standards for outpatient vascular centers aimed at enhancing the quality of care provided to patients receiving vascular surgical and procedural treatments, an ACS September 19 press release reports. These…