(Reuters Health)—Fluorescent lotion and black light revealed that healthcare workers often contaminate their skin and clothing while removing their protective gear, researchers say. This contamination can spread germs and place the healthcare workers at risk for infection, the authors write in JAMA Internal Medicine. “It was surprising for the participants in the study to see…
Doctors Often Uncomfortable Soliciting Donations for Patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Many doctors are asked to seek donations from grateful patients after successful cancer treatment, but most physicians are uncomfortable with this idea and feel a conflict of interest, according to a new study. “There are ethical ways of seeking donations from patients who have the means and want to give back,” Dr….
Smartphone Apps Make Virtual House Calls
Telemedicine apps used on mobile devices may help rheumatologists connect with select patients, increasing practice efficiency and patient access to treatment…
Telehealth Visits May Be an Option After Surgery
(Reuters Health)—People may happily, and safely, forgo in-person doctors’ visits after surgery by opting instead for talking with their surgeons by phone or video, suggests a small study of U.S. veterans. Most patients preferred the virtual visits and the doctors didn’t miss any infections that popped up after surgery, the researchers report in JAMA Surgery….
Moving to ICD-10 Has Promises, Challenges
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—While the new International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes offer greater diagnostic precision, their implementation will require training of clinicians, coders, and other staff to minimize payment denials or delays from both public and private payers. Brian Outland and colleagues from the American College of Physicians in Washington,…
How Medicare’s Chronic Care Management Payments Could Affect Primary Care
(Reuters Health)—Medicare’s new “chronic care management” (CCM) payment program could make it more financially feasible for physicians to deliver services between visits. Under the new program, Medicare could reimburse primary care practices about $40 month for such things as medication management and communication with other doctors for patients who have two or more chronic medical…
Reforms Needed to Address Medical Diagnostic Errors
CHICAGO (Reuters)—Most Americans will fall victim to at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, and when this occurs, it often can be deadly, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the Institute of Medicine, which advises the U.S. government and policymakers. The report called for greater emphasis on improving diagnoses in the…
Chronic Care Management Payments Can Increase Primary Care Revenues
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Medicare’s new chronic care management (CCM) payments could boost revenues for primary care practices, but many could experience net losses due to opportunity costs of face-to-face visit time, according to results from a modeling study. “The loss of revenue when MD’s did all the work themselves was somewhat surprising,” Dr. Sanjay Basu,…
Arthritis May Contribute to Poverty
Researchers recommend rheumatologists factor in a patient’s ability to pay when determining treatment, because their study found that an arthritis diagnosis may substantially affect patient finances…
Poverty May Increase Odds of Repeat Hospitalizations
(Reuters Health)—When patients are hospitalized more than once in the same month, it may have more to do with their income or education levels than the quality of care they received, a U.S. study suggests. Perhaps unsurprisingly, patients 85 and older are more likely to return to the hospital within 30 days of being sent…
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