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ACC CV Quality SmartBrief

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  • COVID-19 surges fill ICU beds in 3 states

    COVID-19 surges in Texas, Florida and Arizona have filled hospital ICUs and some facilities are looking to expand capacity. One of the issues hospitals confront when adding ICU beds is finding enough staff to provide ICU care. The Hill (7/6) Learn More

  • Study: Insurance status affects pediatric readmissions

    The rate of children with complex or chronic conditions increased among those with private insurance and Medicaid from 2010 to 2017, according to a study in Pediatrics, but while there was a small decrease in readmission rates overall, rates dropped more rapidly among patients with private insurance. Readmission rate decreases were similar, however, when adjusted for risks. Contemporary Pediatrics (7/6) Learn More

  • Most clinicians in MIPS avoided negative payment adjustment

    The CMS released the results of the Quality Payment Program's Merit-based Incentive Payment System for the 2018 performance year. Nearly all clinicians in MIPS avoided a negative payment adjustment, 84% received positive payment adjustment after earning exceptional performance designation, and the number of clinicians who participated in MIPS through Advanced Alternative Payment Models increased by 15,000 to more than 356,000 in 2018 compared with the previous year. Becker's Hospital CFO Report (7/7) Learn More

  • Pence: Guidance will encourage reuse of PPE

    Vice President Mike Pence said supplies of personal protective equipment remain strong, but the Trump administration will still release guidance encouraging front-line health care workers to "preserve and reuse" PPE. He also said that states that have reported a recent increase in COVID-19 cases must do more to restrict public gatherings to slow the spread of the virus. PBS (7/8) Learn More

  • Alternative payment model tied to lower volume of imaging services

    An analysis of Oregon Medicaid claims and enrollment data from January 2010 to June 2017 showed the state's implementation of the Alternative Payment and Advanced Care Model resulted in a 42.4% relative reduction on the price-weighted volume of traditional primary care services in participating community health centers in the states. The decline was fully driven by lower use of imaging services in the CHCs. Health Affairs (7/7) Learn More

  • Few patient-provider discussions cover health IT

    Close to half of Americans have communicated remotely with a health care provider since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, but just 21% have talked with their provider about using health IT, researchers reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. That lack of dialogue might negatively affect patient-provider communications and patient engagement, said Dr. David Haggstrom, senior study author. HealthDay News (7/8) Learn More

  • Research finds disparity in outcomes after angioplasty

    Black patients who undergo angioplasty have a greater risk of heart attack or death several years after the procedure compared with white patients, according to an analysis of data from 10 clinical trials. The disparities persisted even after accounting for health factors such as smoking habits and underlying conditions, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions. HealthDay News (7/6) Learn More

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