Population Health

In a preview interview for this year’s 2020 Community Oncology Conference, The American Journal of Managed Care® speaks with Anshu Jain, MD—radiation oncologist at Ashland Bellefonte Cancer Center in Ashland, Kentucky; assistant clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine; and Community Oncology Alliance board member—on how important it is to always strive for excellence in medicine.

“The brunt of COVID-19 will be borne by the poor, elderly, and sick, and it is up to us to ensure they are not left behind” – Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

The number of US adults at high risk for vision loss increased from 2002 to 2017, according to an observational study based on national survey data.

An updated emergency visit classification tool enables managers to make valid inferences about levels of appropriateness of emergency department utilization and healthcare needs within a population.

Co-pay accumulator adjustment programs can have different effects for individuals with varying health plan types or income levels, explained Bruce Sherman, MD, chief medical officer of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

During the 2018 International AIDS Conference, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Elton John AIDS Foundation revealed initial results from the LGBT Fund, which they launched in 2016. PEPFAR also announced over $360 million in funding over the next 12 months.

Last month, the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah announced the opening of the Huntsman Center for Health Outcomes and Population Equity (HOPE). The research and clinical center is dedicated to preventing cancer and improving health among underserved populations.

Clinical trials researching cancer therapies should be more inclusive of a broader range of patients, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and Friends of Cancer Research.

A different way to measure population aging takes into account changing life expectancy, with implications for healthcare.

Recent research indicates that patients who are treated within an integrated model of care for their inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have improved outcomes, as they tend to undergo IBD-related surgeries less often and are more likely to receive treatment other than steroids.

Programs like One Great Community aim to engage communities in the process of population health research, which is a key to successful public health initiatives, explained Shauntice Allen, PhD, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

The spread of HIV has stabilized in some areas of the world, but continues to rise in others, said Thomas C. Quinn, MD, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health.

Community health records have the potential to transform the way stakeholders work to improve health at the community level by aggregating local data on the social and physical determinants of health, according to a recent commentary in the American Journal of Public Health.

A recent study indicated that strategies to promote weight loss or maintenance across an entire population could be more effective in preventing type 2 diabetes than programs specifically targeting obese people at high risk of developing the disease.

Rates of food insecurity remain high in American Indian communities, and a recent study indicates that inadequate food quality and quantity may put these populations at higher risk of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

When working with a homeless population, the Camden Coalition has learned that they need to establish open lines of communication, build a sense of trust, and follow through on their promises to patients, according to Renee Murray, associate clinical director of Care Management Initiatives at Camden Coalition. Often times these patients have more urgent priorities or may not believe that the Camden Coalition team is actually dedicated to working with them.

When women are empowered to take control of their own health, the results can be profound: reduced infant mortality, decreased spread of infectious diseases, and increased family and community health. An investment in women’s education truly is an investment in the well-being of society.

Relationships with accountable care organizations and provider organizations can help payers join in a value-based, holistic approach to improving health within a community, said Harold L. Paz, MD, MS, executive vice president and chief medical officer at Aetna.

Researchers evaluated 137 mobile health apps designed to help patients manage their health and found inconsistencies in the apps’ functionalities, privacy policies, and reactions to indications of health danger.

This paper presents a policy proposal to integrate care for Medicare beneficiaries through creation of integrated care organizations and a Medicare home care benefit.

Accountable care organizations all over the country have shown that no single method can work for every system, said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, outgoing president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

A recent study has found a positive association between a county’s well-being score and life expectancy, even after controlling for race, poverty, and education. The findings indicated that investing in local well-being initiatives could improve the quality of life and increase longevity for that community.

As the healthcare industry continues its transition towards alternative payment models (APMs), some providers might feel apprehensive about keeping up with new requirements like those in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) final rule. However, these providers can use healthcare information technology (IT), data analysis tools, and other resources to adapt to these changes, according to Suzanne Travis, vice president of regulatory strategy at McKesson.

Individualized medicine can complement the principles of population health to deliver better results for patients, according to Leonard M. Fromer, MD, FAAFP, executive medical director of the Group Practice Forum.

The opportunities for telehealth to radically transform the healthcare system are enormous, but the foremost priority of these innovations must be the delivery of value, said Reed V. Tuckson, MD, FACP, at the National Committee for Quality Assurance Quality Talks conference in Washington, DC, on Monday.