Hospitals Could Be Better Designed
In an article for The New York Times, Druv Khullar, MD, wrote that hospitals are poorly designed for patients to rest and heal. Hospitals are incredibly expensive to build, but the close quarters, which increase the risk of infections, are not the only design flaw: surfaces could be easier to clean, sinks could be better positioned, and air filters could be of a higher quality. These 3 minor changes could reduce rates of hospital-acquired infections even further. There are additional issues, such as noise, lighting, and even the height of the toilets.
Addicts Continue Taking Opioids During Treatment
Many people undergoing treatment for opioid addiction relapse, and for a long time no one knew why. A new study has found that nearly half of people being treated for opioid addiction fill at least 1 opioid prescription, reported The Washington Post. In addition, people take buprenorphine to treat their opioid addiction for a far shorter time period than experts believe it will take to overcome substance abuse disorder. Physicians are mostly still unaware of what other physicians prescribe, so patients receiving medication-assisted treatment might get an opioid prescription from another doctor.
Medicaid Expansion Divides Republicans
Would a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also end Medicaid expansion, thus cutting funding to those states that have expanded the program? According to The Hill, Republicans are divided over how to handle Medicaid through the process of repealing the ACA. Some Republicans want a transition period, while others want to cut the strings quickly. There are 20 Republican senators from states that expanded Medicaid, while 32 represent states that chose not to expand. Some Republican governors, such as John Kasich in Ohio, have been outspoken about keeping expansion.
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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The Supreme Court seems likely to reject a challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone; the FDA is inspecting far fewer pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical research; AstraZeneca has sued to block an Arkansas law that it said would unlawfully expand the 340B program to include for profit-pharmacy chains.
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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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