Massachusetts Doctor Cuts Waiting Time By Accepting Same-Day Appointments, Walk-Ins.
The Boston Globe /Kaiser Health News (7/14, Arnst) reports that a Worcester, MA, family physician, Dennis Dimitri, runs an "unusual" practice: most of his "patients call in the morning and are assigned a time slot later that day." He accepts few appointments in advance. Dimitri's "open access" system works, because it "reduces the number of patients who don't show up for their appointments or who call in with an emergency and plead to be squeezed into an already full schedule," the story notes.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Administration Unveils Free Preventive Services Under Healthcare Law.
Preventive Services Recommended By Task Force Would Be Covered Fully Under Healthcare Law. Kaiser Health News (7/15, Weaver) reports, "Under the new healthcare overhaul law, insurers will be required to pay fully for services that get an 'A' or 'B' recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force, a volunteer group made up of primary care and public health experts." This is "good news for patients, who will no longer face cost-sharing for these services, but it puts the group in the crosshairs of lobbyists and disease advocates eager to see their top priorities -- including routine screening for Alzheimer's disease, domestic violence, diabetes, or HIV -- become covered services."
The above will apply to some vision services as outlined in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Guide to Preventive Services
The above will apply to some vision services as outlined in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Guide to Preventive Services
FDA Leaves Avandia on the Market. What you should tell your patients.
Statement Warns Against Stopping Avandia Use.
The Los Angeles Times (7/15, Maugh) reported, "Diabetics taking Avandia [rosiglitazone] who are concerned about the drug following Wednesday's decision by a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee to allow it to remain on the market should continue taking the drug until they can make arrangements with their physician to receive alternatives, three groups of physicians who treat diabetes said Thursday." Notably, "the Endocrine Society, the American Diabetes Assn. and the American Assn. of Clinical Endocrinologists issued a joint statement saying that the risk of stopping the drug abruptly is greater than any potential risk of cardiovascular disease that might be caused by the drug."
According to HealthDay (7/15, Gardner), "'Patients should continue taking all currently prescribed medications unless instructed otherwise by their health care provider,' Dr. Robert A. Vigersky, immediate past president of the Endocrine Society, said in the statement." The statement also pointed out that "reports regarding the cardiovascular safety of rosiglitazone...have not been definitive."
Reuters (7/16, Fox) also quotes Dr. Vigersky, who stated, "Stopping diabetes medications can cause significant harm and result in higher levels of blood glucose that may cause severe short term health problems and could increase the risk of diabetes-related complications in the long term."
CNN (7/15, Rice) provided an "explanation of the pros and cons of other treatments to lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes," including metformin, metformin with sulfonylureas, metformin with insulin, Actos [pioglitazone], DPP-4 inhibitors, and diet and exercise.
The Los Angeles Times (7/15, Maugh) reported, "Diabetics taking Avandia [rosiglitazone] who are concerned about the drug following Wednesday's decision by a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee to allow it to remain on the market should continue taking the drug until they can make arrangements with their physician to receive alternatives, three groups of physicians who treat diabetes said Thursday." Notably, "the Endocrine Society, the American Diabetes Assn. and the American Assn. of Clinical Endocrinologists issued a joint statement saying that the risk of stopping the drug abruptly is greater than any potential risk of cardiovascular disease that might be caused by the drug."
According to HealthDay (7/15, Gardner), "'Patients should continue taking all currently prescribed medications unless instructed otherwise by their health care provider,' Dr. Robert A. Vigersky, immediate past president of the Endocrine Society, said in the statement." The statement also pointed out that "reports regarding the cardiovascular safety of rosiglitazone...have not been definitive."
Reuters (7/16, Fox) also quotes Dr. Vigersky, who stated, "Stopping diabetes medications can cause significant harm and result in higher levels of blood glucose that may cause severe short term health problems and could increase the risk of diabetes-related complications in the long term."
CNN (7/15, Rice) provided an "explanation of the pros and cons of other treatments to lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes," including metformin, metformin with sulfonylureas, metformin with insulin, Actos [pioglitazone], DPP-4 inhibitors, and diet and exercise.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
New Healthcare.gov Site
New HHS Website Helps Consumers Determine Health Coverage Options.
The Christian Science Monitor (7/2, Grier) reports, "Healthcare.gov is up and running -- and that should be good news for the many US citizens who are trying to understand the brave new world of US healthcare following this year's passage of sweeping reform legislation." Notably, the site "is mandated by the new law, as is its July 1 start date. It is intended to be both a one-stop-shopping site for individuals looking to see what their insurance options are, and a central repository for news and information about the health bill's rollout." According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, "Healthcare.gov will take some of the mystery out of shopping for health insurance."
CBS News (7/2, Hunter) says on its website, "The most interesting part of the site may be the search tool," which "allows people to click on their state, then choose responses to questions about their family and medical status. A program processes the data and then spits out the best insurance options available."
Ezra Klein said in his Washington Post (7/1) blog that this is "a slick, easy-to-use site, which may be the best thing out there for seeing both the public and private health-coverage options for people in your situation in your area." The Wall Street Journal (7/1, Adamy) "Washington Wire" blog and Kaiser Health News (7/1, Galewitz) also covered the story.
The Christian Science Monitor (7/2, Grier) reports, "Healthcare.gov is up and running -- and that should be good news for the many US citizens who are trying to understand the brave new world of US healthcare following this year's passage of sweeping reform legislation." Notably, the site "is mandated by the new law, as is its July 1 start date. It is intended to be both a one-stop-shopping site for individuals looking to see what their insurance options are, and a central repository for news and information about the health bill's rollout." According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, "Healthcare.gov will take some of the mystery out of shopping for health insurance."
CBS News (7/2, Hunter) says on its website, "The most interesting part of the site may be the search tool," which "allows people to click on their state, then choose responses to questions about their family and medical status. A program processes the data and then spits out the best insurance options available."
Ezra Klein said in his Washington Post (7/1) blog that this is "a slick, easy-to-use site, which may be the best thing out there for seeing both the public and private health-coverage options for people in your situation in your area." The Wall Street Journal (7/1, Adamy) "Washington Wire" blog and Kaiser Health News (7/1, Galewitz) also covered the story.
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