Home Otolaryngology November 2019 Briefing – Otolaryngology

November 2019 Briefing – Otolaryngology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Otolaryngology for November 2019. 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.

Object-Related Aspiration Deaths Decreased Among Children

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 1968 to 2017, there was a decrease in object-related aspiration deaths in children and adolescents, according to a research letter published in the Nov. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

U.S. Life Expectancy Dropped Since 2014 for Working-Age Adults

TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — U.S. life expectancy increased from 1959 to 2016 but has been decreasing since 2014, according to research published in the Nov. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Longer PAP Therapy for Apnea Reduces Medical Visits, Costs

TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy reduces acute and inpatient care visits as well as health care costs, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Electronic Health Record Usability Graded F by Physicians

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The usability of current electronic health records (EHRs) is classified as unacceptable, with physician-rated EHR usability independently linked to the odds of burnout, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Cognition Declines Tied to Hearing Loss Begin Early

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Declines in cognition are seen even in individuals with subclinical aged-related hearing loss, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Employee Premiums, Deductibles Eating Larger Share of Income

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — During the last decade, health care costs have eaten up a larger share of income for millions of middle-class Americans with employer coverage, according to Trends in Employer Health Care Coverage, 2008-2018, a Nov. 21 report from The Commonwealth Fund.

Bipartisan Bill to Curb Drug Costs Backed by White House

MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A bipartisan Senate bill that would curb prescription drug costs is being backed by the Trump administration as a new poll shows that many Americans think the White House has done little to tackle the issue.

AP News Article

White House Wants Hospitals, Insurers to Provide Actual Costs of Care

MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — New rules requiring hospitals and insurers to disclose the actual prices for common tests and procedures before they are performed have been proposed by the Trump Administration.

AP News Article

Pembrolizumab Prolongs Survival in Advanced Head, Neck Cancer

FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab prolongs survival in patients with certain head and neck cancers, according to a phase 3 study published online Oct. 31 in The Lancet.

Survey of U.S. Registered Nurses Points to Worsening Shortages

THURSDAY, Nov. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The 2019 AMN Healthcare Survey of Registered Nurses raises concerns about the outlook for the nursing profession in the United States.

2019 Survey of Registered Nurses

Tobacco Cessation Programs May Up Quit Rates in Cancer Patients

THURSDAY, Nov. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Enrolling actively smoking oncology patients into a comprehensive tobacco cessation program may help patients sustain long-term abstinence from smoking and improve their cancer treatment outcomes, according to a study recently published in JAMA Network Open.

Imaging Rates Continue to Rise Despite Efforts to Reduce

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Despite initiatives to reduce the use of medical imaging, rates continue to rise in both the United States and Ontario, Canada, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Medical Practices Burdened by Regulatory Requirements

TUESDAY, Nov. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The vast majority of group medical practices report that regulatory requirements, including prior authorization and quality payment programs, are burdensome, according to a survey released by the Medical Group Management Association.

Annual Regulatory Burden Survey

Seriously Ill Medicare Beneficiaries Face Financial Hardship

MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Seriously ill Medicare enrollees experience considerable financial distress, according to a report published in the November issue of Health Affairs.

Dr. Stephen Hahn Nominated to Head FDA

MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Radiation oncology expert Stephen Hahn, M.D., has been nominated as the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner.

CNN Article

Recommendations Developed to Address Clinician Burnout

FRIDAY, Nov. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout, a new report published online Oct. 23 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, recommendations are presented to address clinician burnout.

Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout

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