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What We’re Reading: Autism Rates Rising; Cancer Drugs in Shortage; CMS Promoting Patient Safety, Health Equity
Autism is being diagnosed more often in girls; cancer medication shortages mean some patients may die before receiving treatment; new CMS policies aim to reach underserved populations.
Autism Rates are Rising Among Girls, Studies Find
As autism is being diagnosed at higher rates among more women, researchers wonder how many girls continue to be missed or to receive a misdiagnosis, according to The New York Times. In a review of dozens of studies, researchers found the true male-to-female ratio for autism was about 3:1. Furthermore, the shift in population demographics has also been observed in the growing prevalence of autism rates among Black and Latino children, which passed rates among White children for the first time.
Cancer Drug Shortages May Be Fatal for Some Patients
A shortage of cancer medications has left many patients with the difficult decision of whether to try a different treatment option or foregotreatment, according to NBC News. In some cases, alternative drugs are available, but there is no guarantee they will work or be as effective as the original medication. Pharmacy experts say this shortage may be due to a lack of investment from manufacturers due to low profits and may get worse in the coming years, with a push for overseas drug manufacturers.
CMS Proposes New Patient Safety and Health Equity Policies
On Monday CMS announced a new proposed rule for inpatient and long-term care hospitals to improve health equity and support underserved communities. These policies were presented under requirements for updates to Medicare payments and policies for hospitals in the fiscal year 2024 inpatient prospective payment system. In addition, CMS proposed using rural emergency hospitals as graduate medical training sites, with the aim of boosting health care worker shortages in these areas.
Enhancing Outpatient Hemophilia Care May Improve Health Outcomes and Costs
May 18th 2024Prospective data from patients attending a rural practice in West Virginia between 2016 and 2023 show that a quality improvement program that followed guideline recommendations and was tailored to specific patient needs reduced preventable bleeds and lowered costs.
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Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: May 18, 2024
May 18th 2024The US Senate hosted a panel addressing physician and health care shortages and efforts to increase minority representation in the medical field. An expert discussed initiatives to prevent senior homelessness. Advocates called for the repeal of the Comstock Act. Regulatory reforms are called for to improve rural cancer patients' access to pharmacies. Research reveals the impact of denials on patient access to immunology treatments.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Covering antiobesity medications like semaglutide could save Medicare around $500 million annually; preliminary CDC data showed a 3% decline in the number of US overdose deaths last year; the Biden administration recently announced the first national maternal mental health strategy.
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