Home Dermatology July 2018 Briefing – Dermatology

July 2018 Briefing – Dermatology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Dermatology for July 2018. 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.

Learning to Change Important for Improving Practice

TUESDAY, July 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Although physicians typically struggle with change, relying on habits created in their practice, learning to change is important in order to improve practices and better deal with the changes sweeping through medicine, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Front Desk Staff Can Set Up a Practice for Successful Billing

TUESDAY, July 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Allowing front desk staff adequate time and an uninterrupted environment to focus on billing can prevent problems later on, according to an article published in Physicians Practice.

Few Published Programs Address Medical Trainee Mistreatment

TUESDAY, July 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There are very few published descriptions of programs that address the mistreatment of medical trainees, according to a review published online July 27 in JAMA Network Open.

Medical Boards May Contribute to Mental Health Stigma for Doctors

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Existing policy has been amended to encourage licensing boards to require disclosure of physical or mental health conditions only when these would negatively impact a physicians’ ability to practice medicine, according to an article published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

Four Strategies Help Doctors Make Personal, Professional Gains

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In an article published in Physicians Practice, four strategies are presented to help physicians make personal and professional gains.

Assessing, Improving Patient Satisfaction Cuts Malpractice Risk

THURSDAY, July 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Assessing and improving patient satisfaction can help physicians avoid being sued for malpractice, according to an article published in Physicians Practice.

Insurers May Be Underpaying Doctors

THURSDAY, July 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Insurance companies sometimes underpay doctors the contracted amount for a service or procedure, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Tools, Methods of RCTs Can Be Adapted to Real-World Settings

WEDNESDAY, July 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Use of appropriate statistical methodology can allow for the synthesis of data collected as part of traditional clinical trials with real-world data, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online July 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Physicians and Practices Should Prepare for Emergencies

TUESDAY, July 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Practices and physicians should prepare for emergency situations, such as natural disasters, network communications failures, and active shooter situations, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

VA MISSION Act May Up Costs, Lower Vet Health Care Quality

TUESDAY, July 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Veterans Affairs Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (VA MISSION) Act may increase costs and reduce quality of health care for veterans, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online July 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

HPV Vaccine Eliminates Advanced Skin Cancer in 97-Year-Old

TUESDAY, July 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could be a therapeutic option for patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma when surgical management is not an option, according to a case report published online July 3 in JAMA Dermatology.

Walmart Generic Drug Discounts Often Offer More Patient Savings

MONDAY, July 23 2018 (HealthDay News) — Walmart’s Generic Drug Discount Program (GDDP), which sells many commonly used generic medications for $4 per 30-day supply, offers savings over Medicare for some generic cardiovascular medications, according to a research letter published online July 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Medical Organizations Must Address Sexual Harassment

MONDAY, July 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical institutions and organizations need to ensure there are proactive interventions to transform the workplace in order to address sexual harassment and discrimination, according to an article published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

Embezzlement Not Uncommon in Medical Practices

MONDAY, July 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Embezzlement occurs frequently in medical practices and steps should be taken to prevent it, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Increased Coverage in States With Medicaid Expansion

FRIDAY, July 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Coverage rates and access to care are significantly higher in states with Medicaid expansion, compared with non-expansion states, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.

Same-Day Appointment System Implemented in Health Network

THURSDAY, July 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A same-day appointment system can feasibly be introduced, according to the experiences of one health network presented in an article published in Managed Healthcare Executive.

Atopic Dermatitis Places Heavy Burden on Patients

THURSDAY, July 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Atopic dermatitis (AD) dramatically impacts the quality of life of patients, according to a study published online July 16 in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Hand-Holding, Stress Ball Don’t Cut Anxiety in Skin CA Removal

THURSDAY, July 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hand-holding and squeezing a stress ball do not provide anxiety reduction among patients during excisional removal of non-melanoma skin cancer, according to a study published online July 18 in JAMA Dermatology.

Patients Care About the Clothes Doctors Wear

THURSDAY, July 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients do in fact care what doctors wear, according to a study recently published in BMJ Open.

Seven Strategies Can Help Practices Manage Staff Time Off

WEDNESDAY, July 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Several strategies can be implemented to help address management of staff time off, allowing mutual respect for the employee and employer requests, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Australian Researchers Develop First Blood Test for Melanoma

WEDNESDAY, July 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The first blood test to detect melanoma skin cancer in its early stages has been created, according to a study published in the July 17 issue of Oncotarget.

Overall Cancer Mortality Rates Decreasing for Men and Women

WEDNESDAY, July 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cancer incidence rates have decreased among men but remained stable among women, while cancer death rates are decreasing for both men and women, according to a report published in the July 1 issue of Cancer.

Alternative Payment Models Should Include Precision Medicine

TUESDAY, July 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association has committed to working to integrate precision medicine into alternative payment models (APMs), according to an article published in the association’s AMA Wire.

Trials Supporting FDA Approval of Breakthrough Drugs Examined

TUESDAY, July 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pivotal trials supporting U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals granted Breakthrough Therapy designation often lack randomization, double-blinding, and control groups, according to a research letter published in the July 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

FDA Establishes New Task Force on Drug Shortages

TUESDAY, July 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a recent statement, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., announced the formation of a new drug shortages task force to thoroughly explore the reasons why drug shortages remain a persistent challenge.

Adoption of EHR Linked to Reduction in Mortality Rates

MONDAY, July 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) is associated with a reduction in mortality rates in U.S. hospitals, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.

eCare Plan Set to Improve Doctor/Pharmacist Relationship

MONDAY, July 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Pharmacist eCare Plan is designed to improve communication between pharmacists and physicians by allowing documentation to be available via electronic health records (EHRs), according to an article published online in Drug Topics.

Physician Burnout Tied to Higher Risk of Medical Errors

MONDAY, July 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician burnout, fatigue, and work-unit safety grades are independently associated with medical errors, according to a study published online July 9 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Fish Pedicure Causes Woman to Lose Toenails

FRIDAY, July 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A woman lost several toenails after a fish pedicure, according to a case report published online July 3 in JAMA Dermatology.

Virtual Assistants Not HIPAA Compliant

FRIDAY, July 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Virtual assistant programs like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa are not yet in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), warns an article published in Medical Economics.

Gender Bias in Medicine Has Far-Reaching Consequences

FRIDAY, July 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Overlooking women in medicine can have far-reaching consequences, according to a perspective piece published in the June 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

AMA Aims to Boost Affordability of ACA Marketplace Plans

THURSDAY, July 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has adopted policy to increase the number of people who obtain coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by making marketplace plans more affordable.

2001 to 2015 Saw Decline in Self-Employment in Health Care

THURSDAY, July 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2001 to 2015 there was a decrease in the percentage of health care professionals who are self-employed and a decrease in the earning gap between self-employed and employed health care professionals, according to a study published online July 12 in JAMA Network Open.

Patient Experience Officers Can Play Key Role in Medical Offices

THURSDAY, July 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A patient experience officer is an increasingly important new role in physician practices, according to an article recently published in Physicians Practice.

Peer-Led Education Helps Physicians Save Time With EHRs

THURSDAY, July 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A peer-based education program can improve the efficiency of electronic health record (EHR) use, according to an article published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

International Group Develops Best Practices for Drug Packaging

TUESDAY, July 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nine new drug labeling and packaging guidelines have been developed with an aim of reducing medication errors, according to a report published in Drug Topics.

AMA Calls for Inclusive Family, Medical Leave Policies

TUESDAY, July 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) calls for inclusive family and medical leave policies to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) workers who care for relatives, spouses, and partners.

Error Rate 7.4 Percent in Speech Recognition-Assisted Notes

TUESDAY, July 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The error rate in speech recognition (SR)-assisted documentation is 7.4 percent, according to a study published online July 6 in JAMA Network Open.

Patient Interest Fairly High for Melanoma Genetic Risk Testing

TUESDAY, July 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is moderately high interest in genetic testing for melanoma risk among the general population, according to a study published in the June issue of JAMA Dermatology.

UV Protection Methods Low in Individuals With Skin of Color

MONDAY, July 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many individuals with skin of color do not know that they need comprehensive photoprotection to prevent skin cancer and photoaging, according to an article published in Dermatology Times.

IT Solutions for Easier EHRs Save Physicians Time, Burnout

FRIDAY, July 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Yale Medicine is effectively targeting electronic health record (EHR) use and functionality as a way to improve physician job satisfaction and reduce burnout, according to an article published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

Skin Cancer Risk Higher in Military Personnel

FRIDAY, July 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is an increased risk for skin cancer among U.S. active duty service members and veterans, according to a review published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Hospitals Face $218B in Federal Payment Cuts From 2010 to 2028

THURSDAY, July 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cumulative reductions in federal payments to hospitals from 2010 to 2028 are estimated to reach $218.2 billion, according to a study commissioned by the Federation of American Hospitals and the American Hospital Association (AHA).

Patient Complaints Mainly About Rudeness, Rushing, Reproach

THURSDAY, July 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Understanding patients’ complaints about practice can be instructive for physicians, according to an article published June 6 in Physicians Practice.

Patients Comfortable With Doctors Having Tattoos, Piercings

THURSDAY, July 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients do not appear to mind if doctors have tattoos or piercings, according to a study published online July 2 in the Emergency Medicine Journal.

High Patient Burden With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis

THURSDAY, July 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients with moderate/severe atopic dermatitis (AD) have higher patient-reported burden than those with mild AD, regardless of disease control, according to a study published online July 3 in JAMA Dermatology.

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