Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for March 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.
Mobile Health App Use Continuing to Increase
TUESDAY, March 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The number of mobile health apps is continuing to increase and doctors are embracing this trend, with more than one-third of physicians recommending their use in the past year, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Small, Steady Decline in Cancer Rates in U.S. Over Past Decade
TUESDAY, March 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — America is making slow but steady progress against cancer, with a continuing decline in cancer deaths, according to a new report published online March 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The report was coauthored by experts from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
2015 Match Sees High Proportion of Unmatched Seniors
MONDAY, March 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — About 6.1 percent of U.S. allopathic medical school seniors in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) were not placed into first-year residency positions, with a higher percentage of unmatched seniors than in 2014, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Innovative Prototype Presented for Post-ICU Patients
FRIDAY, March 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A collaborative care model, the Critical Care Recovery Center (CCRC), represents an innovative prototype aimed to improve the quality of life of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, according to a report published in the March issue of the American Journal of Nursing.
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Physicians Should Be Aware of Signs of Burnout
THURSDAY, March 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Burnout can be prevented if physicians are aware of the warning signs, according to an article published by the American Medical Association.
Pulmonologist Management Beneficial in NSCLC
TUESDAY, March 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with early-stage and advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonologist management is positively associated with rates of stage-specific treatment, according to a study published online March 11 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Bariatric Surgery May Help Reduce Asthma Exacerbations
FRIDAY, March 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Bariatric surgery cuts the risk of an emergency department visit or hospitalization for asthma exacerbation in obese patients by half, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Electronic Solutions Underway for Rx Prior Authorizations
FRIDAY, March 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Efforts are underway to offer technological solutions to the burdens associated with prior authorizations, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Cardiorespiratory Fitness Tied to Less DM, Despite Other Risks
THURSDAY, March 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with a lower risk of incident diabetes, regardless of demographic characteristics and baseline risk factors, according to a study published online March 12 in Diabetes Care.
CDC: Decline in TB Rates in the United States Slowing Down
THURSDAY, March 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — As health officials in Kansas struggle with an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) at a local high school, federal officials reported Thursday that the annual decline in U.S. cases is slowing. The report was published in the March 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Over Two Dozen Test Positive for TB at Kansas High School
THURSDAY, March 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More than 300 students and staff at Olathe Northwest High School were tested last week after a reported case of tuberculosis (TB) at the school. The testing identified 27 more people with TB infection, the Kansas City Star reported.
Patient Status at ICU Discharge, Not Timing, Predicts Survival
THURSDAY, March 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU), patient status, particularly the presence of limitations of medical therapy (LOMT) orders, strongly predicts mortality, according to a study published online March 2 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Interventions Up Blood Culture Ordering in Pediatric Pneumonia
WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Interventions can increase blood culture ordering in children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), with no effect on length of stay (LOS), according to a study published online March 16 in Pediatrics.
More Than 16 Million Americans Have Gained Coverage Under ACA
TUESDAY, March 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The Obama Administration reported Monday the largest drop in the number of Americans without health insurance since the Johnson administration expanded health coverage through Medicare and Medicaid 50 years ago.
Culture-Based Screening Algorithm Cuts TB in Immigrants
TUESDAY, March 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of a culture-based screening algorithm in 2007 reduced the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) among immigrants and refugees bound for the United States, according to a study published in the March 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Gender-Specific Variation in Medical Specialties
MONDAY, March 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Medical specialties vary by gender, with obstetrics/gynecology and pediatrics dominated by female residents and specialties such as surgery, emergency medicine, and anesthesiology dominated by males, according to a report published by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Tips Provided for Residents Applying to Fellowship Training
MONDAY, March 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The process of selecting and preparing for a fellowship training program, specifically pulmonary and/or critical care medicine, should begin early in residency, according to an article published online March 5 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Real-Time Decision Support Tool Aids ER Pneumonia Patients
MONDAY, March 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For emergency department patients with pneumonia, a real-time electronic clinical decision support tool could be beneficial, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
HHS Wants to Help Restore Joy of Medicine
FRIDAY, March 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is listening to physicians and wants to address the regulatory burdens they face, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Getting Heard May Be Key to Getting New Job
FRIDAY, March 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Your voice may be the key to landing a new job, researchers report in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science.
IOM: Raise Legal Age to 21 for Tobacco Purchase
THURSDAY, March 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Raising the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21 would save hundreds of thousands of lives and substantially reduce the number of smokers in the United States, a new report finds.
Clinical Trial Data Often Not Reported in Timely Manner
THURSDAY, March 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Researchers are not promptly reporting the results of clinical trials to ClinicalTrials.gov, according to an article published in the March 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Physicians Should Plan Exit Strategy in Advance
WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should begin planning their exit strategy three to five years in advance, according to the American Medical Association.
Persistent EHR Nonadoption Could Mean Lower Payment
WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Persistent nonadopters of electronic health records (EHRs) tend to be older, and are employed in smaller practices, according to a letter published in the March 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Frustrated by Regulations, Doctors Increasingly Miserable
WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The nationwide Physician Misery Index is 3.7 out of 5, with the vast majority of physicians reporting that the business and regulation of health care has worsened the practice of medicine, according to a report published by Geneia.
AAMC: Significant Shortfall of Physicians Projected for 2025
TUESDAY, March 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The expected shortfall of physicians is projected to reach about 46,000 to 90,000 by 2025, according to a study conducted by IHS Inc. for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Paternal, Maternal Depression May Up Asthma Risk for Baby
MONDAY, March 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A child may face an increased risk of asthma if the child’s mother or father experienced depression during the pregnancy or if the mother took an older antidepressant to treat her condition, new research suggests. The study findings were published online March 9 in Pediatrics.
Changes Being Made to Med School Applicant Assessment
FRIDAY, March 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In accordance with the changes in graduate medical education to better prepare doctors for a changing health care system, changes are being made to medical school applicant evaluation, according to an article published Feb. 19 by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Most Cancer Patients Involve Family in Treatment Decisions
FRIDAY, March 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Most lung and colorectal cancer patients involve family members in treatment decisions, with substantial variation by race/ethnicity and language, according to a study published online Feb. 23 in Cancer.
Extended Pre-Cessation Bupropion Helps Smokers Quit
FRIDAY, March 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Extended pre-quit bupropion is associated with reduced smoking behavior during the pre-quit period and improved short-term abstinence rates, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
Confidence Gap Between Male and Female Med Students
FRIDAY, March 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Female medical students perform at the same or higher level as men, but they lack confidence compared with men, according to a letter published in the March 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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National Hospital Rating Systems Rarely in Agreement
FRIDAY, March 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — National hospital rating systems are rarely in agreement, according to a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
FDA Launches First App to Identify Drug Shortages
THURSDAY, March 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A mobile phone application (app) has been released to identify current drug shortages, resolved shortages, or discontinuations of drug products, according to a press release published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Study Examines Palliative Care in Cardiac Intensive Care Units
THURSDAY, March 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Increased palliative care education and training among clinicians who are involved in cardiac critical care could benefit care, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Rush University Adds Patient Scores to Doctor Profiles
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Rush University Medical Center’s website has started adding the results of patient surveys to individual physician profiles, according to a report published by the medical center.
FDA: Opdivo Approval Expanded to Include Lung Cancer
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Opdivo (nivolumab) has been expanded to include advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the agency said Wednesday in a news release. The drug was approved previously to treat advanced melanoma among people who don’t respond to other medicines.
Use of Anticholinergic Meds May Up Pneumonia Risk for Elderly
TUESDAY, March 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of anticholinergic medications may increase risk of pneumonia in the elderly, a new study suggests. The findings were published online March 2 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Research Measures Perceptions of Physician Compassion
TUESDAY, March 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients prefer physicians who convey a more optimistic message, and perceive in them a higher level of compassion, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in JAMA Oncology.
Treadmill-Based Fitness Score Can Predict 10-Year Survival
MONDAY, March 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A fitness risk score based on exercise stress testing is highly predictive of 10-year survival in adults free from established heart disease, according to a study published in the March issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
L858R Mutation in Circulating Free DNA Is Prognostic in NSCLC
MONDAY, March 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, the L858R mutation in circulating free DNA (cfDNA) seems to be a prognostic marker, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in JAMA Oncology.
Hospital Design Has Little Effect on Patient Satisfaction
MONDAY, March 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Hospital design has little effect on patient satisfaction, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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