Home Rheumatology September 2018 Briefing – Rheumatology

September 2018 Briefing – Rheumatology

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

Physicians Often Don’t Address Their Burnout

FRIDAY, Sept. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — More than half of physicians experience burnout, and many do not seek treatment for burnout, according to a report published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

Implementing EMRs Affects Time Spent With Patients in Clinic

FRIDAY, Sept. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Following a six-month learning period to implement an electronic medical record (EMR) system, outpatient orthopedic clinics return to pre-implementation efficiency, but there may be other lasting effects on productivity, according to a study published in the Sept. 19 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Abstract/ Full Text

Business Degree Increasingly Useful for Doctors

THURSDAY, Sept. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Having a Master of Business Administration degree (M.B.A.) can help doctors with important, practice-related decisions, according to a report published recently in Physician Practice.

Practices Should Set Rules for Staff Social Media Use

THURSDAY, Sept. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical practices can take steps to avoid problems related to use of social media by staff members, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Burnout, Career Choice Regret Prevalent in U.S. Residents

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Symptoms of burnout and career choice regret are prevalent among U.S. resident physicians, according to a study published in the Sept. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Combo Therapy Not Needed If Low RA Disease Activity Achieved

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Once low rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity is achieved with tocilizumab (TCZ) plus methotrexate (MTX), patients can discontinue MTX without significant disease worsening, according to a study published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Inflammatory Back Pain Resolves in Many Patients

TUESDAY, Sept. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Inflammatory back pain (IBP) often resolves, while in 30 percent of patients it progresses to spondyloarthritis (SpA) within 10 years, according to a study published in a recent issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Physician-Group ACOs Generate Medicare Savings

TUESDAY, Sept. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician-group accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) generated significantly more savings for Medicare that grew from 2012 to 2015 compared with hospital-integrated ACOs, according to research published in the Sept. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In 2016, Proportion of Uninsured Americans Down to 10 Percent

TUESDAY, Sept. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2013 to 2016 there was a reduction in uninsurance among Americans from 17 to 10 percent, according to a report published in September by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Urban Institute.

MRI Indicates Sacroiliitis in Some Healthy Individuals

MONDAY, Sept. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) positive for sacroiliitis is seen in a considerable number of healthy individuals without back pain, according to a study recently published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Some Clinicians, Patients Record Clinic Visits for Patient Use

FRIDAY, Sept. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of clinicians and patients report having recorded a clinic visit for the patient’s personal use, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Dozens of Medical Groups Join Forces to Improve Diagnoses

FRIDAY, Sept. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Every nine minutes, a patient in a U.S. hospital dies because a diagnosis was wrong or delayed — resulting in 80,000 deaths a year. That sobering estimate comes from the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM).

Research Links Doctor Burnout to Patient Safety Incidents

THURSDAY, Sept. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician burnout is associated with increased risk of patient safety incidents, poorer quality of care due to low professionalism, and reduced patient satisfaction, according to a review published online Sept. 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Allopurinol Dose Escalation for Gout Doesn’t Improve Mortality

THURSDAY, Sept. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Allopurinol dose escalation is not associated with reductions in mortality risk among patients with gout, according to a study published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Hospitals Charge 479 Percent of Cost of Drugs on Average

THURSDAY, Sept. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — On average, hospitals mark up drugs by 479 percent of their cost, according to a report from The Moran Company, commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

Residents Should Take Advantage of Paid Time Off

THURSDAY, Sept. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Although there are many demands on residents, taking advantage of paid vacation time is one of the perks and should be maximized, according to an article published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

California Lawsuit Claims AbbVie Paid Doctors to Prescribe Humira

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A lawsuit filed Tuesday in California claims that pharmaceutical company AbbVie used cash, gifts, and services to induce doctors to overprescribe the widely used drug Humira (adalimumab), ignoring the medicine’s potentially lethal side effects.

Global Prevalence of Insufficient Activity 27.5 Percent

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In 2016 the age-standardized prevalence of insufficient physical activity was 27.5 percent, according to a study published in the October issue of The Lancet Global Health.

Quarterly Canakinumab Reduces Risk for Gout Attacks

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Quarterly canakinumab administration is associated with significantly reduced risk for gout attacks without any change in serum uric acid levels, according to a study published online Sept. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Patient Health Information Often Shared Electronically

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The most common electronically sent and received types of patient health information (PHI) include laboratory results and medication lists, according to a report published Aug. 15 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

Scribes Improve Physician Workflow, Patient Interaction

TUESDAY, Sept. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Use of medical scribes is associated with decreased physician documentation burden, improved work efficiency, and improved patient interactions, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Compliance With Requirement to Report Results on EUCTR Is Poor

TUESDAY, Sept. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Half of trials on the European Union Clinical Trials Register (EUCTR) are non-compliant with the European Commission’s requirement that all trials post results to the registry within 12 month of completion, according to a study published online Sept. 13 in The BMJ.

Drug Prices Increase More Than Expected After Shortages

TUESDAY, Sept. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Prices for drugs under shortage increase more than twice as quickly as expected in the absence of a shortage, according to a research letter published online Sept. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Many RA Patients’ Pain Related to Central Nervous System

MONDAY, Sept. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Centralized pain pathways may coexist with more established peripheral inflammation-driven pathways in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Mercury in Traditional Tibetan Medicine Could Be Harmful

MONDAY, Sept. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The high mercury (Hg) concentration contained in traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) could be harmful to humans and contribute to the environmental Hg burden in Tibet, according to a study published in the Aug. 7 issue of Environmental Science & Technology.

Association Health Plans Can Help Small Businesses Offer Coverage

MONDAY, Sept. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Association health plans (AHPs) will provide small businesses with more choices, access, and coverage options, although critics warn that they may undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, according to an article published in Managed Healthcare Executive.

Situation Framing, Language Can Influence Decision-Making

FRIDAY, Sept. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — How a situation is framed and the language used to describe risks can influence patients’ decision-making, according to an article published in Physicians Practice.

CDC: About One in Five U.S. Adults Have Chronic Pain

THURSDAY, Sept. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — About 20.4 percent of U.S. adults have chronic pain and 8.0 percent have high-impact chronic pain, according to research published in the Sept. 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Pharmacovigilance Needed for Rheumatology Patients

THURSDAY, Sept. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been developed for pharmacovigilance in rheumatology, emphasizing the need for continued monitoring of new drugs, according to a position statement issued by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

ACR Position Statement

Gains in Insurance Coverage Seen for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Adults

THURSDAY, Sept. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults report continued problems affording care despite coverage gains offered by the Affordable Care Act, according to a study published in the August issue of Health Affairs.

Six-Step Analysis Can Help Improve Practice Logistics

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A six-step analysis can help redesign and improve the outpatient health care process, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.

Residents Working Long Hours Can Increase Alertness

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical residents can take steps to maintain their energy and alertness during long shifts, according to an article published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

Medicaid Work Requirements Don’t Impact Many Enrollees

TUESDAY, Sept. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medicaid work requirements will only impact a small proportion of persons and may only generate minimal savings, according to two research letters published online Sept. 10 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Data Age in Clinical Trials Is About Three Years at Publication

TUESDAY, Sept. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The median data age in clinical trials in journals with a high impact factor is about three years at publication, according to a study published in the Aug. 10 issue of JAMA Network Open.

Mediterranean Diet Tied to Lower Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis

TUESDAY, Sept. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — High adherence to the Mediterranean diet score is tied to lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in some populations, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Arthritis Research & Therapy.

Many Opportunities for Doctors Using Twitter

MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Doctors can use Twitter to build networks and learn more about research in real time, according to a blog post published by Penn Medicine News.

Chronic Pain May Be Contributor to Suicide

MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Chronic pain may be an important contributor to suicide, with 8.8 percent of suicide decedents having evidence of chronic pain, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Fifteen Genetic Determinants of Fracture Identified

MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Fifteen genetic determinants of fracture, which are also associated with bone mineral density, have been identified, according to a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) published online Aug. 29 in the BMJ.

Physician Burnout Rates Vary by Medical Specialty

MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nearly half of physicians report being burned out, but rates vary substantially by medical specialty, according to an article published in AMA Wire.

Docs, Consumers Agree on Benefits of Virtual Care

MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians and consumers agree on the benefits of virtual care, but physician adoption of virtual care technologies is low, according to a report on the Deloitte 2018 Survey of U.S. Physicians.

Personalized Weighting Could Enhance Hospital Rating Tools

FRIDAY, Sept. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The weighting systems that underlie hospital performance rating tools should incorporate the needs, values, and preferences of patients, according to a perspective article published in the Aug. 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Better Training Needed to Boost LGBTQ Patient Health Care

THURSDAY, Sept. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — High-quality health care needs to be provided to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) patients, and improved training is necessary to deliver that care, according to a report published in the American Medical Association’s AMA Wire.

Hospital Groups Launch Own Generic Drug Company

THURSDAY, Sept. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Three U.S. health care foundations and seven hospital groups have formed a generic drug company to combat high prices and chronic shortages of medicines.

AP News Article

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Has Uncertain Future

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Uncertainty surrounds the future of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, according to an Ideas and Opinions article published online Aug. 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Out-of-Pocket Costs Similar for Infliximab, Infliximab-Dyyb

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Under Medicare Part D, out-of-pocket costs are similar for infliximab and its biosimilar infliximab-dyyb, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Enrollment in High-Deductible Health Plans Up From ’07 to ’17

TUESDAY, Sept. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Enrollment in high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) has increased among adults with employment-based insurance coverage, according to an August data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

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