Closing the Gap: Why Healthcare Needs More Gender Diversity in Leadership
The following is a guest article by Dr. Erica Barnell, MD, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Geneoscopy Women comprise 70% of the healthcare workforce and 59% of medical, biomedical, and health sciences graduates, yet are the minority at leadership levels — holding only 25% of senior executive roles. As a result, the lack of women in significant decision-making positions is evident. According to U.S. Census estimates, no single ethnic or racial group will represent a majority of the U.S. population by 2055. The potential for more positive patient care experiences, greater innovation, and improved organizatio...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - July 26, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Guest Author Tags: C-Suite Leadership Clinical Health IT Company Healthcare IT Dr. Erica Barnell Dr. Erica Barnell MD PhD Gender Bias Gender Diversity in Healthcare Leadership Geneoscopy Women in Healthcare Women in Leadership Women in STEM Women's H Source Type: blogs

Testimony from Actress Justine Bateman, JDRF's Aaron Turner-Phifer FTC Testimony and 2007 Express Scripts Study on Potential Savings of Biogenerics in the U.S.
Back in 2007, I blogged that the PBM Express Scripts (five years before that company acquired rival PBM Medco Health Solutions in 2012 before selling itself to the insurance company Cigna when it lost most of its paying clients in 2018) published a report on its forecast for savings which might come from biosimilar competition (see my original post athttps://blog.sstrumello.com/2007/03/generic-biologics-could-save-71-billion.html for more). An archived copy of the old Express Scripts report is archived athttp://web.archive.org/web/20100922170223/http://express-scripts.com/research/studies/pharmacybenefitresearch/specialtyp...
Source: Scott's Web Log - July 25, 2023 Category: Endocrinology Tags: 2007 2023 Biosimilar biosimilars FTC insulin JDRF Source Type: blogs

Health Care, Disagree Better
BY KIM BELLARD On one of the Sunday morning news programs Governors Spence Cox (UT) and Jared Polis (CO) promoted the National Governors Association initiative Disagree Better. The initiative urges that we practice more civility in our increasingly civilized political discourse. It’s hard to argue the point (although one can question why NGA thinks two almost indistinguishable, middle-aged white men should be the faces of the effort), but I found myself thinking, hmm, we really need to do that in healthcare too.   No one seems happy with the U.S. healthcare system, and no one seems to have any real ideas about...
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 25, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Health insurance Healthcare Access Healthcare system Kim Bellard Source Type: blogs

Outpatient Vascular Care: Good, bad or ugly?
BY ANISH KOKA Filling in the holes of recent stories in the New York Times, and Propublica on the outpatient care of patients with peripheral arterial disease Most have gotten used to egregiously bad coverage of current events that fills the pages of today’s New York Times, but even by their now very low standards a recent telling of a story about peripheral artery disease was very bad. The scintillating allegation by Katie Thomas, Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Robert Gebeloff is that “medical device makers are bankrolling doctors to perform artery clearing procedures that can lead to amputations...
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 24, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Medical Practice Anish Koka Medical Devices Outpatient vascular care Source Type: blogs

Matthew ’ s tidbits: Obesity Summer
Every time I get around to sending out the THCB READER I add a short & usually not to sweet commentary on some aspect of health care.–Matthew Holt I saw the obesity crisis up close this week. And by that I’m not just referring to my addiction to Salted Caramel with Pretzel Ice Cream, bad though it is. Instead I felt thin because I went to Disneyland. But while I tip the scales at a BMI of 30 if I’m lucky, I genuinely felt that looking around Disneyland more than 50% of the crowd were obese and many morbidly so. The rest of my trip to Southern California was quite a contrast because I’ve be...
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 24, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: matthew holt Tags: Health Policy Matthew Holt obesity epidemic Ozempic Source Type: blogs

A Popular Economics View of the Future of the Longevity Industry
Rather than popular science, here we have a popular economics article on the present state and future of the longevity industry. It is a superficial survey of the field, but interesting for pulling together some of the available economic statistics and forecasts into one place. Making human beings live longer in good mental, neurological and physical health would be one of the most important steps humanity has ever taken. Not only because of the suffering experienced by millions of people around the world, but also because of the massive impact it would have on society, the economy and the public policies of any s...
Source: Fight Aging! - July 24, 2023 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs

Alfie Health ’ s New AI-Powered ObesityRx Platform Helps Determine Sustainable Weight Loss Approach for Patients with Obesity, Using Precision Medicine and Telehealth Support
With $2.1 Million in Funding, Alfie Health Reports a Cohort of 300 Patients Lost an Average of 10-15% of Body Weight over Nine Months of Following its Holistic Approach The AI Platform Analyzes Patient Data, Recommends Medication (or Combination Meds) Precisely Prescribed, as well as Behavioral Changes, and Provides Ongoing Telehealth Support With 42 percent of Americans now struggling with obesity, doctors and their patients are looking for a sustainable approach to weight loss. Currently, prescription medications known as the GLP-1 class of anti-obesity medications (such as Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Mounjaro, etc.) are becomi...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - July 21, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Healthcare IT News Tags: Health IT Company Healthcare IT Alexander Singh Alfie Health Cleveland Clinic Cleveland Clinic's Bariatric and Metabolic Institute Dr. W. Scott Butsch GLP-1 Goodwater Capital Health IT Funding Health IT Fundings Health IT Investment Source Type: blogs

Preventive Medicine is the Key to Value-Based Care
The following is a guest article by Dr. Ed Cladera, Medical Director at AristaMD We’re amid a massive provider shortage, and it’s only getting worse. According to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. is on track to face a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034. As a result of being unable to access care, patients are pushing off routine health services. Neglected care comes with more complications down the line. Studies have shown that preventative care decreases the incidence of disease and patient mortality, resulting in better care outcomes. Preventive medicine proactively identifie...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - July 18, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Guest Author Tags: Clinical Communication and Patient Experience Health IT Company Healthcare IT Hospital - Health System AristaMD Association of American Medical Colleges Decreasing Costs Ed Cladera MD Improving Outcomes Medicaid Medicare PCP Prev Source Type: blogs

No, the Poor Don ’ t Always Have to Be With Us
BY KIM BELLARD OK, for you amateur (or professional) epidemiologists among us: what are the leading causes of death in the U.S.?  Let’s see, most of us would probably cite heart disease and cancer.  After that, we might guess smoking, obesity, or, in recent years, COVID.  But a new study has a surprising contender: poverty.    It’s the kind of thing you might expect to find in developing countries, not in the world’s leading economy, the most prosperous country in the world. But amidst all that prosperity, the U.S. has the highest rates of poverty among developed countries, which accounts in no small part ...
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 18, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Anti-Poverty Medicine Kim Bellard TANF Source Type: blogs

Health Tech ’s Magic Wand: The Anti-Social Bent of Modern Medicine
BY MIKE MAGEE In George Packer’s classic 2013 New Yorker article titled “Change the World: Silicon Valley transfers its slogans – and its money – to the realm of politics,” there is a passage worth a careful reread now a decade latter. Packer shares an encounter with a 20-something techie critiquing his young colleagues who said, “Many see their social responsibility fulfilled by their businesses, not by social or political action. It’s remarkably convenient that they can achieve all their goals just by doing their start-up. They actually think that Facebook is going to be the panacea for many o...
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 17, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Health Tech Mike Magee Silicon Valley Solutionism Source Type: blogs

Bonus Features – July 16, 2023 – 95% of patients are concerned about data breaches affecting their medical records, 81% incorrectly assume PHI collected by digital health apps is protected under HIPAA
This article will be a weekly roundup of interesting stories, product announcements, new hires, partnerships, research studies, awards, sales, and more. Because there’s so much happening out there in healthcare IT we aren’t able to cover in our full articles, we still want to make sure you’re informed of all the latest news, announcements, and stories happening to help you better do your job. News The Sequoia Project and AHIMA are co-sponsoring the Data Usability Taking Root initiative, which will aim to implement data usability guidance published by a Sequoia Project workgroup with input form more than 260 organizat...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - July 16, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Brian Eastwood Tags: Healthcare IT Accelecom Arcadia AT&T Availity Brightside Health Cerner Christine Swisher ClearDATA CMS CommonWell Health Alliance Cotiviti CVS CareMark Dave Wichmann Dr. Amy Compton-Philips eClinicalWorks eCW eLovu Health Source Type: blogs

Insurance profits over patients ’ lives: Doctors battle for proper care 33 times a week
“I can’t afford higher,” Bobby’s (identifying information changed) mom explains when asked about his low dose. As Bobby’s dermatologist, I prescribed Accutane, curing 80 percent of acne with a six-month course. Insurance denied, requiring doxycycline. I rarely give antibiotics, following World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Antibiotics build resistance and aren’t curative, resulting in more scarring. Read more… Insurance profits over patients’ lives: Doctors battle for proper care 33 times a week originally appeared in KevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - July 16, 2023 Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Dermatology Source Type: blogs

Food allergies are not preferences. Let ’s start treating them that way.
We’re in a rapidly growing food allergy epidemic. 1 in 13 American children have food allergies—a number that’s only growing. Private insurance claims of anaphylactic food reactions, which are severe and potentially life-threatening, rose 377 percent from 2007 to 2016. Yet despite their increased prevalence in recent years, one thing hasn’t changed: Undermining the very Read more… Food allergies are not preferences. Let’s start treating them that way. originally appeared in KevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - July 14, 2023 Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Conditions Allergies & Immunology Source Type: blogs

Primary Hypertension: The Unseen Risk For Healthy People
Conclusion In conclusion, even the healthiest individuals can develop primary hypertension, a condition that affects a significant portion of the U.S. adult population. With its roots often hidden in our genetic makeup and influenced by various lifestyle factors, hypertension can quietly disrupt our wellbeing, earning its nickname as the “silent killer.” Real-life experiences, such as Martin Cassels’, highlight that maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle doesn’t render one immune to this condition. However, it underscores the importance of regular health check-ups and the value of a second o...
Source: The EMT Spot - July 13, 2023 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Michael Rotman, MD, FRCPC, PhD Tags: News Source Type: blogs

Opinion Piece from Pharmacists United for Truth & Transparency ( " PUTT " )
Pharmacists United for Truth& Transparency ( " PUTT " ) is a non-profit advocacy organization founded by independent pharmacists and pharmacy owners devoted to exposing what they describe as anti-competitive tactics deployed by the largest Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs - aka Pharmacy Benefit Companies or PBCs as the trade organization known as the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association or PCMA has tried to rebrand its industry since the acronym PBM has become toxic) recently published an opinion piece with an interesting title: " The Deadliest Addiction in the U.S. Isn ' t What You Think It Is " (read it athttps:...
Source: Scott's Web Log - July 12, 2023 Category: Endocrinology Tags: 2023 drug prices PBM Pharmacists United for Truth & Transparency PUTT Source Type: blogs