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What We're Reading: Homelessness and Coronavirus; ACP Launches Telemedicine Guide; HPV Vaccine May Treat Cervical Cancer
Worries grow as officials prepare to stem the spread of coronavirus among the nation’s homeless population; the American College of Physcians launched a new telemedicine guide; a study found the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, in addition to chemotherapy, may help treat cervical cancer.
Homeless Population Could Take a Toll on Hospitals
Some state models show that 60,000 homeless people may become infected with COVID-19, with up to 20% of them needing hospitalization, The Los Angeles Times reports. If this model were to play out, California would need 12,000 hospital beds to accommodate just the homeless population. Around 108,000 people currently live outdoors in California, and many have weakened immune systems and preexisting conditions. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced $100 million in funding to help local jurisdictions boost shelter capacity and emergency housing. Hotels, motels, and other facilities will also be leased to provide space for the homeless to practice social distancing or become quarantined.
New Telemedicine Guide Launches
The American College of Physicians (ACP) launched a new telemedicine guide. The continuing medical education program aims to help physicians implement telemedicine and is free to all ACP members. Included in the guide are recommendations on how to introduce and sustain telemedicine video visits in a clinical setting and select the technical, licensure, insurance, and reimbursement components needed for an effective telemedicine program. In addition, the program offers guidance on reasons to use virtual visits, conducting video visits, reimbursement, and clinical use cases.
HPV Vaccine Shows Some Promise Treating Cervical Cancer
Strong human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine responses, applied during chemotherapy, are associated with prolonged cancer survival, according to a study published in Science Translational Medicine. The HPV vaccine is typically administered to prevent cervical cancer. This small “chemoimmunotherapy” trial found better outcomes for patients with advanced cervical cancer. The study found 43% of patients’ tumors regressed while another 43% saw their disease get no worse. However, the study did not include a chemo-only comparison arm.
Public Hospitals More Likely to Extend Unprofitable Services After 340B Participation, Study Finds
May 10th 2024Public hospitals were significantly more likely to sustain access to unprofitable services following 340B Drug Pricing Program participation, while nonprofit hospitals were mostly unaffected, according to a recent study.
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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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Persistence Pays Off With Zanubrutinib: A Challenging CLL Case With a Prior BTK Inhibitor Failure
May 10th 2024The case of a 77-year-old woman with a long chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) history illustrates the novel use of zanubrutinib as a potential option for some patients who have failed first-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and venetoclax.
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CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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