AJMC Web Exclusives

WEB EXCLUSIVES

Application of New Method for Evaluating Performance of Fracture Risk Tool

2012 Volume 18 Number 10

Direct Costs of Diverticulitis in a US Managed Care Population

Linnette Yen, MS, MA; Keith L. Davis, MA; Paul Hodgkins, PhD, MSc; Edward V. Loftus, Jr, MD; and M. Haim Erder, PhD

All-cause costs for patients with diverticulitis during the year after diagnosis were more than 3 times higher than costs for matched patients without diverticulitis.

2012 Volume 4 Number 5

Variation in Prescription Drug Cost-Sharing Among the Commercially Insured

Teresa B. Gibson, PhD; Emily D. Ehrlich, MPH; and Jill E. Bagalman, MSW

For patients with commercial insurance, variation in cost-sharing for prescription drugs exists by product indication, as well as geography.

2012 Volume 4 Number 5

Preferred Drug Utilization: Treating Allergic Rhinitis With Less-Sedating Antihistamines

Kirsten M. Kloepfer, MD; Mark E. Helm, MD, MBA; Tamara T. Perry, MD; Ping Hu, MS; Stacie M. Jones, MD; and Perla A. Vargas, PhD

Implementation of a preferred drug program for less-sedating antihistamines to treat allergic rhinitis in the Arkansas Medicaid program does not negatively impact patient care.

2012 Volume 4 Number 5

Outcomes Associated With Timing of Maintenance Treatment for COPD Exacerbation

Anand A. Dalal, PhD, MBA; Manan B. Shah, PharmD, PhD; Anna O. D’Souza, BPharm, PhD; Amol D. Dhamane, BPharm, MS; and Glenn D. Crater, MD

Early initiation of maintenance medication in patients with moderate to severe COPD exacerbations is associated with reduced risk of future exacerbations and lower costs.

2012 Volume 18 Number 9

Medicare Part D and Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly

Julie M. Donohue, PhD; Zachary A. Marcum, PharmD, MS; Walid F. Gellad, MD, MPH; Judith R. Lave, PhD; Aiju Men, MS; and Joseph T. Hanlon, PharmD, MS

High-risk drug use increased slightly among seniors gaining Medicare Part D coverage; however, high-risk drugs account for a small share of total drug use.

2012 Volume 18 Number 9

Frequency of and Harm Associated With Primary Care Safety Incidents

Katrin Gehring, PhD; David L.B. Schwappach, PhD, MPH; Markus Battaglia, MD, MPH; Roman Buff, MD; Felix Huber, MD; Peter Sauter, MBA; and Markus Wieser, MD

Physicians’ and nurses’ assessments of the frequency and harm of incidents can be a supplemental method to study patient safety in the primary care office.

2012 Volume 18 Number 9

Antidepressant Medication Adherence via Interactive Voice Response Telephone Calls

Terri Castle, RN, MS; Michael A. Cunningham, MS; and Gary M. Marsh, PhD

Our age-adjusted evaluation found that IVR calls had little impact on antidepressant medication adherence rates and that rates generally increased markedly with increasing age.

2012 Volume 18 Number 9

Measuring Value for Low-Acuity Care Across Settings

Sofie Rahman Morgan, MD, MBA; Meaghan A. Smith, BS; Stephen R. Pitts, MD, MPH; Robert Shesser, MD, MPH; Lori Uscher-Pines, PhD, MSc; Michael J. Ward, MD, MBA; and Jesse M. Pines, MD, MBA, MSCE

To analyze value of low-acuity care, an existing model is adapted to highlight factors impacting how stakeholders assess emergency department care compared with alternatives.

2012 Volume 18 Number 9

Impact of Point-of-Care Case Management on Readmissions and Costs

Andrew Kolbasovsky, PsyD, MBA; Joseph Zeitlin, MD; and William Gillespie, MD

Implementation of a point-of-care case management team consisting of a nurse, social worker, pharmacist, and health navigators reduced readmissions and associated costs.

2012 Volume 18 Number 8