Despite evidence that people with chronic conditions such as asthma and heart failure are visiting EDs more frequently, the number of hospital admissions for these conditions has remained flat. The researchers said that trend suggests EDs may help to prevent some avoidable hospital admissions.
"Use of hospital emergency departments is growing faster than the use of other parts of the American medical system," Art Kellermann, MD, MPH, the study’s senior author and a senior researcher at RAND, said in a news release. "While more can be done to reduce the number of unnecessary visits to emergency rooms, our research suggests emergency rooms can play a key role in limiting growth of preventable hospital admissions."
RAND was asked by the Emergency Medicine Action Fund, a consortium of emergency medicine physician organizations, to develop a more-complete picture of how hospital EDs contribute to the U.S. healthcare system.
Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/11kOAoQ
A study from the RAND Corporation found that even though emergency departments (EDs) are often the most expensive treatment centers for Americans, they are having an increasing role in the US healthcare system. Nurse.com reports:
FDA Approves Vadadustat for Anemia in Patients With CKD Undergoing Dialysis
March 28th 2024The FDA approved vadadustat (Vafseo), an oral medication, to treat anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis for at least 3 months. This fills a need for a new treatment option as anemia is common in these patients and can significantly impact their quality of life.
Read More
Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
Listen
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.
Listen
CMS released a final rule to help patients obtain Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage and issued a proposed rule to update Medicare payment policies and rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities; debate over if gift card incentives are acceptable in health care marketing.
Read More