AJMC® in the Press, February 24, 2017

A Patient Engagement HIT article summarized findings from research on patient activation that appeared in the February issue of the American Journal of Managed Care^® (AJMC^®). The study, “An Examination of the Relationship Between Care Management With Coaching for Activation and Patient Outcomes,” found that interventions that included coaching for activation empowered patients to effectively manage their own healthcare. The Patient Engagement HIT article recommended that payers “should conduct regular patient activation screenings in order to effectively assign health coaches.”

On Tuesday, the National Pharmaceutical Council’s Daily Newsfeed email featured an AJMC^® newsroom article about healthcare utilization among diabetics. The story, “High-Deductible Plans Discouraged Visits by Low-Income Diabetes Patients,” discussed research that found lower reported medical visits and a higher likelihood of delaying necessary treatment among low-income patients with diabetes enrolled in a high-deductible health plan.

The findings of a study published in the February issue of AJMC^® were summarized in an article by Health IT Analytics, which reported that “the study highlights a significant discussion point for patient-centered medical home advocates and detractors alike.” The authors of the study “Perceptions of the Medical Home by Parents of Children with Chronic Illness” found that parents were more likely to report higher perceptions of quality elements in specialty care rather than primary care clinics.

An article from Modern Healthcare’s Transformation Hub about how in-store clinics are gaining ground referenced an AJMC^® study from 2014. In the study “Quality of Care at Retail Clinics for 3 Common Conditions,” researchers determined that the care provided for 3 common conditions at CVS Pharmacy MinuteClinics was actually higher in quality than the care received in ambulatory care facilities and emergency departments.