Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Orthopedics for October 2015. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Chronic Pain Conditions Cost $32K Per Patient Annually
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Chronic pain conditions pose a substantial utilization burden on the health care system, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in Pain Practice.
Synchronized Prescription Renewal Process Saves Time
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A synchronized prescription renewal process can save physicians time and money, which can be dedicated to patient care, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
Increasing Numbers of Med School Applicants, Enrollees
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — There has been a 25 percent increase in the number of medical school enrollees since 2002, with the number reaching an all-time high of 20,630 this year, according to a report published online Oct. 22 by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Nearly 15 Percent of Plans Lack In-Network Specialists
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of federal marketplace plans lack at least one in-network specialist, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Physician Emphasizes Importance of Saying Thank You
TUESDAY, Oct. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The importance of thanking patients for coming to see you, the physician, is described in an essay published online in Medical Economics.
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Wrist Fracture Linked to Higher Subsequent Fracture Risk
MONDAY, Oct. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For postmenopausal women, wrist fracture is associated with increased risk of subsequent non-wrist fracture, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
AMA: Eight Reasons for Nonadherence to Medications
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Eight reasons associated with patient’s intentional nonadherence to medications have been identified in a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
AC Joint Dislocation Heals Well Without Surgery
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — There is no clear evidence that operative treatment improves short-term outcome for complete acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma.
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Pain Relief, Function Up Post Knee Replacement in Arthritis
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Total knee replacement usually results in greater pain relief and better joint function after a year than nonsurgical osteoarthritis treatment, researchers report in the Oct. 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Ultrasound Highly Accurate for Diagnosing Groin Hernia
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Ultrasound (US) is highly accurate for diagnosing the presence and type of groin hernia, according to a study published in the November/December issue of the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound.
Knee, Hip Arthroplasty Tied to Increased Short-Term MI Risk
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis, the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) is increased in the first postoperative month, according to a study published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Cancers Differ in Indigenous, Non-Indigenous Populations
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States, indigenous populations exhibit clear differences in the scale and profile of cancer compared to non-indigenous populations, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in The Lancet Oncology.
Opioid Added to Rx Naproxen No Help in Low Back Pain
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Naproxen alone appears to provide as much relief for low back pain as naproxen plus oxycodone/acetaminophen or cyclobenzaprine, according to research published in the Oct. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Review Links Lipid Profiles With Tendon Health
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Lipid profiles seem to be associated with tendon health, according to a review published online Oct. 15 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Patterns of Pediatric Mandible Fx Vary With Age, Sex
FRIDAY, Oct. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The patterns of pediatric mandible fracture vary with age and sex, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
Safety-Net Hospitals Have Higher Costs, Worse Outcomes
THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Intrinsic qualities of safety-net hospitals, rather than patient characteristics, lead to inferior surgical outcomes and increased costs across nine elective surgical procedures, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in JAMA Surgery.
Cannabis Not Recommended to Prevent Post-op Nausea
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Cannabis should not be used to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) because of unacceptable side effects and low effectiveness, according to a study published online Sept. 30 in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Early Physical Therapy Shows Limited Value in Low Back Pain
TUESDAY, Oct. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For adults with low back pain (LBP) fitting a decision rule, early physical therapy is associated with modest improvement in disability compared with usual care, but the improvement is not seen at one-year follow-up, according to a study published online Oct. 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Hospital Factors Can Overcome ‘Weekend Effect’
MONDAY, Oct. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More nurses and electronic medical records can help hospitals overcome the “weekend effect” (WE) associated with urgent general surgery procedures performed on weekends, according to a study published in the October issue of the Annals of Surgery.
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Americans Spend More on Health Care, but Fare Worse
MONDAY, Oct. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When compared to 12 other industrialized nations, Americans spend more on health care services, but they fare worst in terms of life expectancy, according to recent findings from The Commonwealth Fund.
High Rate of Concussion Linked to Isolated Mandible Fractures
FRIDAY, Oct. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The rate of concussions associated with isolated mandible fractures is high, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
Substantial Proportion of Revisits Post Ambulatory Sx Occur in ER
THURSDAY, Oct. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Acute care revisits occur with considerable frequency among low-risk patients undergoing ambulatory operations, with a substantial proportion of revisits occurring in emergency departments, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Lasting Outcomes Similar for Carpal Tunnel Release Surgeries
THURSDAY, Oct. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), long-term outcomes are similar for open and endoscopic release surgery, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Rehab Not Necessary for Uncomplicated Ankle Fracture
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A supervised exercise program does not confer additional benefits in activity limitation or quality of life compared with advice alone for patients with isolated and uncomplicated ankle fracture, according to research published in the Oct. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Guidelines Developed for Managing Conflicts of Interest
TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The Guidelines International Network has developed principles for disclosure and management of conflicts of interest (COIs) during the clinical practice guideline development process, according to a report published in the Oct. 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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β-Blockers May Up Risk of Surgical Complications for Some
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients taking β-blockers may face heightened risks of cardiovascular complications during non-cardiac surgeries, according to a large study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Type of Provider Impacts Health Care Utilization in LBP
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For new entries into health care with low back pain (LBP), the provider chosen for entry is associated with future health care utilization, according to research published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Modified SOAP Ups Student Awareness of Health Care Costs
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Modification of the traditional Subjective-Objective-Assessment-Plan (SOAP) presentation to consider value (SOAP-V) can help medical students learn to practice high-value, cost-conscious care, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Providers Must Understand Legal Limits of Telemedicine
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In order to minimize risk when practicing telemedicine, providers should ensure they hold the proper medical licenses, have medical liability insurance coverage, and communicate with patients regarding the potential risks of telemedicine, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
No Benefit Seen With Physical Tx in Acute Lateral Epicondylitis
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Most patients with acute lateral epicondylitis recover without physical therapy and steroid injections, according to a study published recently in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.
Serotonin Levels Low in Ankylosing Spondylitis
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have lower serotonin levels than healthy controls and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online Sept. 30 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Strategies Provided for Improving EHR Efficiency
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Several strategies can be implemented in order to better use electronic health records (EHRs) for patient care and efficiency, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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