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Speakers at the recent CardioVascular Clinical Trialists forum cited a need to use more real-world evidence in clinical trials of cardiology devices and feedback on clinical practice guidelines for their use. High costs, requirements for sham controls and low participation slow research on medical devices, speakers said. MedPage Today (free registration) (12/6)
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An analysis found more Americans have been dying at home, often their preferred location, since 2017, with home deaths more likely among men, white patients, older people and those with cancer. The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed 30.7% of Americans died at home in 2017, while 29.8% died at hospitals and 20.8% died at nursing facilities. Reuters (12/11)
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Having pharmacists educate patients about medications as they transition out of hospital care and follow up with them after discharge was associated with higher patient satisfaction, according to a study presented at an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists conference. Data also showed a 5% reduction in 30-day readmission rates when patients received a post-discharge phone call from a pharmacist. Pharmacy Times online (12/12)
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Value-based compensation is growing but remains 6.2% of total compensation for all physician specialties studied, according to a study by SullivanCotter. Primary care physicians lead in value-based incentives at 7% of total cash compensation. RevCycle Intelligence (12/5)
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Primary care physicians in the US and other high-income countries reported problems with care coordination, with US physicians citing failure to receive timely notifications or information from specialists or other care sites as factors, researchers reported in Health Affairs. Primary care practices in the US and some other countries did not regularly share data electronically outside of the practice. Physician's Briefing/HealthDay News (12/10)
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A study published in The Lancet found that near-infrared spectroscopy intravascular ultrasound imaging detects lipid-rich plaques, which can lead to myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndromes. Using data from 1,563 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, researchers found that NIRS intravascular ultrasound imaging can detect nonculprit major adverse cardiovascular events among patients undergoing possible percutaneous coronary intervention and cardiac catheterization. Cardiology Advisor (12/9)
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Targeted virtual behavioral therapy improved comorbidity symptoms as well as signs of depression in patients with heart failure, researchers reported in Circulation. The intervention included eight weeks of virtual behavior therapy geared to heart failure and improved patients' self-care habits and awareness of physician recommendations among a subset of Humana Medicare Advantage plan subscribers with stage B or C heart failure. mHealth Intelligence (12/10)
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