Christina is the associate editorial director of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The American Journal of Accountable Care® (AJAC), and joined AJMC in 2016. She oversees the publication of the print journals, from manuscript submission to publication, and works with the editors in chief and editorial boards to promote the journals.
She has a BS in public health from Rutgers University. You can connect with Christina on LinkedIn.
NCI-Sponsored Cancer Trials Potentially Saved Millions of Life-Years, Study Finds
June 7th 2017A new study estimates that the cooperative research network SWOG, which is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has considerably impacted the US population over its 60-year history, as its 23 positive clinical trials have generated about 3.34 million life-years gained.
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Dr Mark Fendrick Testifies on Allowing VBID Flexibility in Medicare Advantage
June 7th 2017In testimony before the US House Ways and Means Committee’s Health subcommittee, Mark Fendrick, MD, co-director of the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, discussed the importance of allowing for flexibility and clinical nuance when it comes to encouraging value in Medicare Advantage plans.
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WHO Essential Medicines List Adds New Drugs, Categorizes Antibiotics
June 7th 2017When the World Health Organization (WHO) updates its Essential Medicines List every 2 years, observers anticipate the addition of some new drugs or alternate indications. The 20th edition, released Tuesday, also includes a more drastic change by categorizing antibiotics.
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HUD Housing Assistance Linked to Improved Access to Care
June 6th 2017Researchers and policy makers have recognized the importance of safe and stable housing in achieving better health outcomes, but a new study adds evidence that receiving housing assistance from programs administered by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is associated with expanded healthcare access.
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Americans Buying Less Sodium in Packaged Foods, but Opportunities for Improvement Remain
June 5th 2017Amid recent efforts to curtail sodium levels in packaged foods to prevent hypertension and heart disease, the amount of sodium in foods and beverages purchased by US households has decreased, according to a new study. However, most Americans are still buying sodium-dense foods, indicating the need for intensified initiatives to lower sodium intake.
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Is Medicaid Health Insurance or Welfare? Poll Finds Americans' Views Divided
June 2nd 2017A new Kaiser Health Tracking Poll delves into Americans’ attitudes about Medicaid: its importance to their family, how it should be funded, and whether it is more similar to health insurance or welfare programs.
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On World No Tobacco Day, WHO Highlights Broader Impact on Environment
May 31st 2017The dangers of tobacco to users are well-known, but today the World Health Organization (WHO) is taking advantage of World No Tobacco Day to raise awareness of how tobacco impacts non-users, the environment, and society.
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Direct-to-Consumer Tests Represent New Form of Low-Value Care, JAMA Viewpoint Argues
May 30th 2017Shortly after the FDA announced it would permit the sale of genetic tests to consumers, an editorial contends that these tests will actually contribute to the deluge of low-value, wasteful medical services that the healthcare system should try to eliminate.
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Americans Report Confusion on Whether E-Cigarette Vapor Harms Children
May 29th 2017Although a report from the Surgeon General has determined that the aerosol vapor from e-cigarettes contains harmful chemicals like nicotine, a survey of US adults indicates that some are skeptical or unsure about the risk posed to children exposed to the vapor.
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Rural Residents More Likely to Limit Activities Due to Arthritis
May 28th 2017A new study in this week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report finds that people with arthritis are more likely to limit their activities due to their symptoms if they live in a rural county, indicating the need to offer targeted interventions to this population.
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FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Outlines Plan for Battling Opioid Crisis
May 24th 2017In the first weeks of his tenure as FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, MD, is taking action on the issue he had vowed to make his “highest initial priority:” fighting the opioid abuse epidemic and stopping the waves of overdoses across the nation.
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Adding Home-Based Ventilation to COPD Therapy Can Prolong Time to Readmission, Death
May 23rd 2017A JAMA study has found that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who received noninvasive ventilation in addition to home oxygen therapy went longer without being readmitted to the hospital or dying than those who received only home oxygen therapy.
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In First Speech to FDA as Commissioner, Gottlieb Emphasizes Opportunities
May 17th 2017On Monday, days after he was sworn in as the new commissioner of the FDA, Scott Gottlieb, MD, delivered a speech to staff acknowledging the substantial challenges the agency must tackle, but expressing an optimistic drive to “fulfill FDA’s special mission.”
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HCAHPS Pain Scores Not Associated With Opioid Prescribing After Surgery
May 17th 2017A new study in JAMA has found that patient-reported pain satisfaction scores on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys are not associated with rates of opioid prescribing after surgery.
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Medicare Beneficiaries Can Face Substantial Out-of-Pocket Cost Burdens
May 16th 2017As Medicare has no limit capping out-of-pocket costs and supplemental coverage can be expensive, many beneficiaries are spending significant portions of their income out-of-pocket on medical care or premiums, according to a recent report published by the Commonwealth Fund.
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Study Links Living in Racially Segregated Neighborhoods to Higher Blood Pressure
May 15th 2017According to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, black individuals living in more racially segregated neighborhoods tended to have higher blood pressure, while those who moved to less segregated areas saw their blood pressure decrease.
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Getting Kids More Active Could Avoid Billions in Health Costs in Adulthood
May 14th 2017If all children engaged in CDC-recommended levels of physical activity, the resulting decreases in obesity could save up to $51.5 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in lost productivity each year.
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