Health Care Delivery

A high proportion of Marshallese, or Marshall Islanders, living on the mainland Unites States, have undiagnosed hypertension and type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to findings that will be used to address disparities in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations.

On day 2 of this year’s Community Oncology Conference, a panel of government and health policy experts gathered to discuss the hot-button issue of political influence on cancer policy and the damage community oncology has suffered this past year.

There are many sources, and definitions, of where the value in cancer care lies. In this panel discussion, a cancer survivor and patient advocate, an oncologist, and a benefits professional provided their perspectives on what value in cancer care means to them.

Edward Licitra, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, Astera Health Partners, discusses his thoughts on what value-based cancer care entails and how physicians can best align their goals with those of the patient and health plan.

Kathy Oubre, MS, chief operating officer of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, discusses cost-saving implications of biosimilars in oncology, as well as several barriers that continue to impede their use.

Ted Okon, MBA, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, discusses what influence the new administration may have on payment reform in oncology and issues regarding the 340B drug pricing program.

Prioritization, interunit collaboration, esprit de corps, and health workers’ adaptability are key factors in providing a coherent response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

More information will come from 4-year results, which will be critical to assess whether there is any long-term benefit to visual acuity using aflibercept.

To effect change, we must address health care disparities beyond the individual level, says Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health and director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies.

Lalan Wilfong, MD, executive vice president, Value Based Care & Quality Programs, Texas Oncology, and co-chair, Payment Reform, Community Oncology Alliance, discusses implications of quality metrics in cancer care and what perspectives on the topic he is looking forward to hearing at the 2021 Community Oncology Conference.

With musculoskeletal care representing one of the leading cost drivers in health care spending for self-insured employers and health plans, a transition to preventive care characterized by both digital and in-person care solutions can lead to improved patient outcomes and cost savings.

A survey of employer and purchaser members of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions found that over half expect a transition to a more stabilized business environment by the third quarter of this year, as well as increased benefit offerings on mental health access and virtual care delivery.

To mark the beginning of National Minority Health Month, The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) takes a look at racial inequities in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and speaks with one expert who fears reality is worse than data indicate.

Early on in the pandemic, Cotiviti developed a COVID-19 tracker map that accurately predicts where in the United States new COVID-19 outbreaks would occur. Nicole Neumarker, of Cotiviti, provides insight into what impact this technology could have in the future.

Antibody-based treatments designed to target alpha synuclein and amyloid beta, protein clusters associated with the development of Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease, were shown to worsen inflammation in the brain.

Investing further in the development of health care staff in often overlooked aspects, such as digital technology and business acumen, can lead to incremental differences in engagement and productivity.

As the first quarter of 2021 ends, patients choosing to keep using secukinumab may be offered an inducement to switch to another biologic, ixekizumab.

Survey responses of 320 US hospitals highlight the dire consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on facilities and point to a future of ongoing financial and staffing challenges.

After a 12-month follow-up of patients in the CHAMP-HF registry, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Overall Summary Score (KCCQ-OS) was shown to be more prognostically accurate compared with New York Heart Association functional class.

Investigators found 10 main themes characterizing the differences between primary care clinics classified as high- and low-performing in distributing diabetes care.

How can health care systems talk about the issue of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy with their patients? On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Pat Salber, MD, MBA, of The Doctor Weighs In, interviews the developer of interactive, people-centered, multimedia, educational programs for Wolters Kluwer Health.

Patient data about emergency department use by this population is limited, the authors said.

Despite patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension reporting good quality of life and low symptom severity, functional limitations persisted, suggesting improvements to the patient experience are needed, according to researchers.

Dayna Clark, MPH, and Kalpana Ramiah, DrPH, MSc, explain why patient trust is important for hospitals to have, as discussed in their poster presented at the 2021 AcademyHealth National Health Policy Conference.

Amid the pandemic, organizations utilizing a value-based care reimbursement model may be better positioned than those using a fee-for-service model to delineate high-risk patients and manage their care, particularly for long-term symptoms that may arise due to COVID-19.

A survey released this month of US patients with blood cancers shows a somewhat surprising level of hesitancy about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, but because patients with cancer were not included in clinical trials, the situation for this population is somewhat nuanced.

Among these factors, having a higher degree of disability from multiple sclerosis (MS) was independently associated with higher morbidity and mortality risks from having a comorbid case of COVID-19.

There is a lack of standards for diagnosing and treating nail psoriasis, a situation needing attention because the condition is often a precursor to psoriatic arthritis.

Pharmacists from the Cleveland Clinic discuss the impact of payer dispensing requirements, known as white bagging and brown bagging, on oncology practices and on patients.

Despite HHS’ recommendation that everyone with HIV start antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after their diagnosis, uptick disparities remain and are especially apparent among persons with drug abuse or dependence.