Medical Management News
More U.S. Companies Offering Financial Incentives to Motivate Employee Health
One third of U.S. companies currently offer, or are planning to fund, monetary rewards to employees for losing weight or enrolling in prevention programs. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Health officials lament that more than two-thirds of American adults are overweight and one-third obese.” The article details several company wellness initiatives. See “Employees Earn Cash for Exercising More,” http://online.wsj.com (June 2, 2010).
Study Demonstrates Possibility of “Universal” Flu Vaccine
A vaccine using a "headless" version of a flu virus was able to protect mice against multiple flu strains, according to a recent study. If further research is able to prove that the vaccine works the same way in people, it might offer a step toward a so-called universal flu vaccine. See http://www.reuters.com, press release (May 26, 2010).
One in Ten Stroke Patients Experience Another Stroke within one Week after Hospital Discharge
Although stroke patients are more likely to be prescribed potentially life-saving statin medications when released from the hospital, more than 16 percent are still being discharged without such prescriptions in hand, according to a recent study. The research suggests that approximately one in five stroke survivors are at risk of another attack that could have been prevented with the appropriate statin treatment, the researchers said. In fact, "Approximately one in 10 stroke patients experience another stroke within a week," study lead author Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele, an associate professor of neurology and director at the UCLA Stroke Prevention Program, UCLA Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, noted in a news release. "The hospital encounter provides a window of opportunity to ensure prompt and appropriate initiation of treatments, such as statins, that could prevent another stroke." See http://www.healthday.com, press release (May 27, 2010).
Shorter Hospital Stays May Give Rise to Higher Readmission Rates
In an article published on June 2, 2010, the Wall Street Journal reports that savings reaped by hospitals from discharging patients after shorter stays might be erased by higher costs from increased readmissions within a month of treatment. The findings are based upon a Yale University study examining Medicare patients with heart failure. The study also noted that over two decades, the mortality rates for heart failure patients declined during hospitalization but then increased after discharge. The article mentions too that other studies have shown that as many as 1 in 4 heart-failure patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. The article’s author concludes that experts attribute this problem in part to a fragmented delivery system and conflicting reimbursement incentives. See “The Revolving Door at the Hospital: While Patient Stays Shorten, Readmission Rates Rise; Where's the Savings?” http://online.wsj.com (June 2, 2010).
Bariatric Surgery Rates Are Skyrocketing but Quality Varies
A recent HealthGrades study showed bariatric surgeries are increasing dramatically in the U.S. (from 13,386 in 1998 to 220,000 in 2008), but quality and safety vary by hospital. The study reported that overall rates for complications and death were decreasing, but patients at top-performing hospitals had a 66.55 percent lower chance of complications than those at facilities ranked near the bottom. The study found that Bariatric patients stay in the hospital on average 2.2 days and are on average $38,254 for a laparoscopic procedure. See www.healthgrades.com, press release (May 26, 2010).
CMSA announces that Case Management Week is scheduled for October 10-16, 2010. The event is geared to recognize and celebrate case managers, including the hard-working nurses at AMM and at other health care organizations around the U.S. For more information on how you can get involved, visit: http://www.cmsa.org/CMWeek.
