Home Ophthalmology October 2018 Briefing – Ophthalmology

October 2018 Briefing – Ophthalmology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Ophthalmology for October 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.

AMA Announces Initiative to Reinvent Physician Training

TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced a new $15 million competitive grant initiative, the “Reimagining Residency” initiative, aimed at improving residency training.

Many Hospitals Noncompliant With Record Request Regulations

MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among top-ranked U.S. hospitals, data reveal discrepancies in information provided to patients regarding medical records release processes as well as noncompliance with state and federal regulations, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Network Open.

Trump Administration Announces Plan to Cut Drug Prices

FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In an effort to cut high drug costs, the prices paid by Medicare for certain prescription drugs would be based on those in other advanced industrial nations, according to a proposal announced Oct. 25 by the Trump administration.

HHS Study
New York Times Article

Pace of Change Has Accelerated in Alternative Payment Models

THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The impact of alternative payment models (APMs) on physician practices has been described in a study published by the RAND Corp. and the American Medical Association.

Most Supplements Contain Prohibited Stimulants

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many supplements contain one or more stimulants that have been the subject of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-issued public notices, according to a research letter published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Myo-Inositol Does Not Reduce Retinopathy of Prematurity

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Treatment with myo-inositol for up to 10 weeks does not reduce the risk for type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) or death versus placebo for premature infants younger than 28 weeks of gestational age, according to a study published in the Oct. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

White House Unveils New Insurance Option for Small Firms

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A plan to allow small businesses to use tax-free accounts to provide health coverage for employees was announced today by the Trump administration.

Procurement Requirements Drive Interoperability in Health Care IT

THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Interoperability of health care information technology (IT) must be improved to facilitate creation of a fully integrated health care system that can improve health and health care at lower cost, according to a report published by the National Academy of Medicine.

Bariatric Sx Cuts Macrovascular Complications in Obesity, T2DM

TUESDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes, bariatric surgery is associated with a lower risk for macrovascular outcomes compared with not undergoing surgery, according to a study published in the Oct. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Without Medicaid Expansion, Poor Patients Forgo Medical Care

MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Doing without medical care is much more common among low-income residents of states that have not expanded Medicaid than among low-income people in other states, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

AP News Article

Cataract Surgery Tied to Drop in Cognitive Decline in Seniors

MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cataract surgery is associated with a reduction in the rate of cognitive decline among older adults, according to a study published online Oct. 11 in PLOS ONE.

Active Pharmaceuticals ID’d in >700 Dietary Supplements

MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Dietary supplements often include active pharmaceuticals, even after warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a study published online Oct. 12 in JAMA Network Open.

Eye Trauma Secondary to Falls in Older Adults Increasing

FRIDAY, Oct. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Eye trauma as a secondary admission diagnosis is increasing, largely because of an increased incidence of falls in older individuals, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Aetna-CVS Merger Approved

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A $69 billion merger between health insurer Aetna and pharmacy manager CVS Health has been approved, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

The New York Times Article

Minority Residents Experience Burdens Linked to Race/Ethnicity

TUESDAY, Oct. 9 2018 (HealthDay News) — Minority residents describe burdens associated with race/ethnicity, including microaggressions and bias on a daily basis, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in JAMA Network Open.

Industry-Funded Trials Often Involve Employees in Studies

FRIDAY, Oct. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Industry employees are often involved in the design, conduct, and reporting of industry-funded trials in high-impact journals, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in The BMJ.

Three-Quarters of Health Care Workers Got Flu Shot Last Year

THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Just over three-quarters of health care personnel received a flu vaccine last season, according to research published in the Sept. 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Price Hikes Noted in Small Subset of Generic Drugs

THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A small but growing subset of generic drugs experienced sudden large price increases from 2007 to 2013, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.

Tips Provided for Budgeting in Medical Residency

THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical residents should start budgeting and save for the future, according to an article published in the American Medical Association AMA Wire.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Linked to Lower Risk for AMD

THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is associated with a reduced risk for incident advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study recently published in Ophthalmology.

Uninsured Rate at 8.8 Percent in First Quarter of 2018

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In the first quarter of 2018, the uninsured rate was 8.8 percent, not significantly different from a year earlier, according to a report released Aug. 29 by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

For Employer-Based Plans, Spending Across Services Steady

TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite large health policy changes, the distribution of spending across service areas has remained fairly consistent over the past 10 years for those enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.

Interviews Can Help Ensure Physician Candidates Fit Culture

TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In preparing to interview to hire a new physician, practices must understand their own cultures, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Number of Health-Related Data Breaches Increasing

TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of health data breaches has steadily increased since 2010, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Intravitreal Triamcinolone Beats Periocular Tx for Macular Edema

MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with uveitic macular edema (ME), intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (ITA) and intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IDI) are superior to periocular triamcinolone acetonide (PTA), according to a study published online Sept. 27 in Ophthalmology.

More Non-Elderly Americans Uninsured in 2017 Versus 2016

MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2016 to 2017, there was an increase in the number of uninsured non-elderly Americans, according to a report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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