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What We're Reading: VA Healthcare Operations Still Require "Urgent Reform"
What we're reading, July 6, 2016: the Department of Veterans Affairs has made progress, but still has a long way to go; court upholds 6-month delay for biosimilars; and Apple promotes organ donation with iPhone app.
The quality of healthcare provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is inconsistent from one site to the next. A new report found that problems with access to care still remain 2 years after long wait times for veterans seeking healthcare was first brought to light, according to the AP. While the VA has made huge progress—nearly 97% of appointments are now completed within 30 days of the preferred date—the report noted there is still a long way to go. In addition, a program that makes it easier for veterans to get private care was not as being significantly flawed.
Biosimilar makers must notify brand-name rivals 6 months before they launch. The federal appeals court ruling could impact healthcare costs as the decision will delay competition, reported STAT. The court ruled that the 180-day notice is required and cannot be given until the biosimilar company receives FDA approval.
Apple is promoting organ donation for iPhone users. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this fall, iPhone users will be able to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors through the Health app. Apple is just the latest tech company to expand organ donation awareness. Facebook added a feature in 2012, and this year Instagram ran a campaign featuring people needing heart transplants.
Prices for care at hospital trauma centers vary across hospitals; drug shortages reached a record high during the first quarter of 2024; although 3 of the biggest makers of asthma inhalers pledged to cap out-of-pocket costs for some US patients at $35, these do not apply to daily inhalers used by the youngest kids with asthma.
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Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
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Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
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Study Links COVID-19 Pandemic to Rise in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer in US
April 17th 2024There was greater use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy among US patients with ovarian cancer (OC) during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce potential COVID-19 exposure and cancer treatment-related complications.
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Age Alone Is No Barrier to Allo-HCT for AML, Data Indicate
April 17th 2024A new study is among the largest real-world analyses to date to assess trends over time and predictive factors for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT).
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