Nationally representative data show that outpatient office visits to both primary care physicians and specialists grew longer over the period from 1993 to 2010.
The 340B Drug Discount Program has rapidly expanded over the last few years and may be missing its original intent. Here are 3 possible steps that could enhance the program’s function and mirror Congress’ original intent to enhance access for the poor to essential medical services.
Higher cost-sharing levels reduced adherence to antidiabetic medications in patients with type 2 diabetes.
The combination of electronic consultations and active triage of specialty care consults effectively reduces wait times for outpatient clinics.
Conventional individualized diabetes self-management education resulted in sustained improvement in self-efficacy and diabetes distress. Short-term improvements in A1C, nutrition, and physical activity were not sustained.
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and gastric bypass are cost-effective treatments for morbid obesity compared with no treatment.
Standardization of operating room to intensive care handoff with a “time-out for sign-out” process for health care providers was beneficial for junior clinicians.
Patients with an insomnia diagnosis have higher healthcare utilization and costs than a matched control group, both before and after the diagnosis.
A systematic review of presenteeism instruments found that most have been validated to some extent, but evidence for criterion validity is virtually absent.
Different patient characteristics predict adequate antidepressant treatment after hospitalization, received by 58.7% of patients, versus adequate psychotherapy, received by 12.9% of patients.
In this retrospective study of patients with diabetes, adherent patients were more likely to achieve glycemic control than nonadherent patients.
Providing a weekly feedback report significantly influences the test ordering behavior of internal medicine residents and reduces laboratory overutilization.
Expanding private-payer coverage of hepatitis C treatment may yield significant long-term cost savings for private payers, reduced costs to Medicare, and increased social value.
Patients often self-refer to the emergency department (ED) for management of an ambulatory care–sensitive condition, and the ED may be the most appropriate care location.
Use of Toyota production system methods as part of a nosocomial MRSA prevention initiative on a surgical unit improved quality of care in other areas.
Geisinger’s Ask-a-Doc program, which enables direct asynchronous communication between primary and specialty care, was associated with lower healthcare utilization and cost, implying more efficient care.
Modest weight loss (>3%) among metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was associated with decreased costs, lower resource utilization, and lower rates of treatment discontinuation.
The rates of potentially preventable readmissions vary across measurement methodologies which explains inconsistencies in previous studies. Results suggest measurement of readmissions incentivizes inefficient behavior.
This study examines the clinical effects of care management and quality improvement interventions implemented by physician groups on pay-for-performance success.
Placing formulary restrictions on brand name drugs shifts use toward generics, lowers the cost per prescription fill, and has minimal impact on overall adherence for antidiabetes, antihyperlipidemia, and antihypertension medications among low-income subsidy recipients in Medicare Part D plans.
Health systems are important in driving electronic health record adoption in ambulatory clinics, although the uptake of key functionalities varies across systems.