Excluding high-risk cardiac patients from public reporting improves outcomes
Editor's Note Public reporting may discourage physicians from offering lifesaving treatment to patients who are at the greatest risk for mortality and poor outcomes, this study finds. Of 45,000 cardiac patients analyzed, the researchers found that physicians were 28% more likely to perform percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) on patients who…
National healthcare spending projected through 2025
Editor's Note The growth in US healthcare spending from 2015 to 2025 is projected to average 5.8%--1.3% faster than growth in the gross domestic product, finds this study. Healthcare will represent 20.1% of the total economy by 2025. With the initial impact of the Affordable Care Act fading, growth in…
MACRA poses risks for physicians, patients
Editor's Note Implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) could threaten physicians’ autonomy in making decisions for their patients, provide burdensome levels of documentation, and pressure some solo and small practices to close, according to an analysis in the July 23 Medical Economics. MACRA also could contribute…
CMS to bundle payments for CABG, expand orthopedic program
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will select 98 hospitals in metropolitan areas to take part in a 5-year mandatory program to test a bundled-payment model for myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures, the July 25 Modern Healthcare reports. CMS will also expand…
Incidence of advanced prostate cancer skyrockets
Editor's Note The number of new cases of men with metastatic prostate cancer in the US has increased 72% in the past decade, this study finds. The largest jump was in men aged 55 to 69 years (92% increase), the age group who benefits the most from prostate cancer screening…
Survey reveals challenges in implementing eCQMs
Editor's Note A survey by the Joint Commission, American Hospital Association, and Federation of American Hospitals, finds that Medicare's new Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program requirements for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) are achievable, but organizations will need to address education, process, and technology hurdles to meet the deadline of…
CMS, FDA advocate for UDI use in insurance billing
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are recommending using unique device identifiers (UDIs) in universal health insurance claims forms to improve value-based reimbursement for medical devices and postmarket surveillance, the July 14 Modern Healthcare reports. Proponents say UDIs could help…
Patient requests for EHR data on their apps causing concerns
Editor's Note Physicians are trying to adapt privacy concerns and requirements to meet patient requests that electronic health record (EHR) data be sent to their mobile apps, including fitness trackers, according to a report in the July 7 Healthcare IT News. Meaningful use and the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization…
CMS: Final rule allows selling of claims data
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 1 released a final rule that allows certain CMS-approved organizations, including for-profit companies and government entities, to buy Medicare claims and other federal data at a price matching the governments’ cost of processing the data, Modern Healthcare reports.…
Study: EHRs leads to physician burnout, job dissatisfaction
Editor's Note This study finds that physicians who use electronic health records (EHRs) have higher rates of burnout and are more likely to be dissatisfied with their jobs because of the amount of time spent completing computerized medical forms. The findings, based on a survey of 6,375 physicians, found that…
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